Yellowstone has received a devastating blow as Kevin Costner confirmed he won’t be returning, but there’s still good news about when we’ll see new episodes air.
It’s been the biggest will-they-won’t-they of the year, but fans now have a less-than-satisfying answer: Kevin Costner definitely won’t be returning to Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2.
In a social media statement, Costner explained: “Thinking about Yellowstone, that beloved series that I love, that I know you love. I just realized that I’m not going to be able to continue, Season 5 or into the future.
“I loved it and I know you loved it, and I just wanted to let you know that I won’t be returning. I love the relationship we’ve been able to develop, and I’ll see you at the movies.”
Costner’s absence is the news fans have been dreading, but there’s also light at the end of the tunnel as new Yellowstone episodes now have a confirmed release date of November 10, 2024.
An update for you guys. I’ll see you at the movies. pic.twitter.com/DpuC5cOP6F
— Kevin Costner & MW (@modernwest) June 21, 2024
If you’re new to Taylor Sheridan’s Wild West, there’s been plenty of drama offscreen. The second half of Season 5 was pushed back by a year, with Sheridan and Costner’s alleged feud taking center stage.
Since then, fans have been left in the lurch about what happens next, which now involves a significant change to the Dutton family tree. With Costner officially no longer part of the Yellowstone cast, fans are left wondering how future episodes will even work.
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“Yellowstone without Kevin Costner is going to be like The Office without Carell,” one fan posted on Reddit, with a second agreeing, “Are they going to recast him? He’s kinda the main character… Also the main plot right now is impeaching him… I don’t see how this works lol.”
A third weighed in, “There is no Yellowstone without him.”
That being said, fans still have their calendars marked for the return of Yellowstone Season 5 — but now the biggest question turns to how John Dutton will be phased out.
While this has yet to be confirmed, popular theories include falling off of his horse, the return of his cancer, or a sudden death offscreen caused by something akin to a heart attack.
In the meantime, Yellowstone fans can catch Costner at the movies as he suggested, thanks to the release of his own project Horizon: An American Saga.
Check out our guide to the best Yellowstone characters, and discover some of the most shocking Yellowstone deaths. Don’t miss our guide to the best new TV shows streaming this month, too.