Why Kevin Costner’s Enormous ‘Yellowstone’ Paycheck ‘Sends A Message’
Kevin Costner has been the star of the most successful cable TV show, Yellowstone, for three seasons. The Paramount Network offered a large sum of money to acquire the Oscar winner as the series’ star.
The former network chief said they were willing to pay since it “sends a message.”
Did Kevin Costner’s ‘Yellowstone’ character survive season 3?
The destiny of Kevin Costner’s character John Dutton was in doubt at the end of Yellowstone Season 3. The closing scene of the finale saw John trying to survive after being shot by an unknown assailant on the side of the road.
John’s children, Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Kayce (Luke Grimes), were also targeted. Beth was in her office when her aide opened a package nearby, which exploded. When masked gunmen stormed into Kayce’s office, he was forced to hide behind a desk.
Filming has wrapped on ‘Yellowstone’ season 4
Kevin Costner stated on Instagram last autumn that he was in Montana with the Yellowstone cast and crew to film season 4. Despite the possibility that his character might not have lived, the 66-year-old actor posted a photo of himself on set.
In the caption he wrote, “It’s hard to beat Montana in October. Easy to see why everyone wants a piece of #Yellowstone ranch!”
Kevin Costner may have been on set because he is the show’s executive producer. However, it is plausible that John Dutton survived and will appear in Season 4. One thing is certain: filming for the upcoming season has concluded, as Really just revealed in a February interview with Screen Rant.
Kevin Costner says he is ‘ready’ for season 4 of ‘Yellowstone’
Yellowstone fans appear to be just a few weeks away from new episodes now that filming for the upcoming season has concluded. Kevin Costner appeared to hint at this when he uploaded another photo of himself in Montana on Instagram in late February.
“Who’s ready to get back to the ranch?” he asked in the caption.
Fans quickly responded with a flood of favorable comments. Most informed Kevin Costner that they had been preparing since the end of Season 3 last summer.
“Me !!! I am very excited for Season 4!!!! “This show is the best,” one ecstatic Yellowstone visitor wrote.
The Paramount Network is paying a lot of money for the Oscar winner
Since the beginning of Yellowstone in 2018, Kevin Costner has played John Dutton. The Oscar winner is starring in a continuous TV show for the first time in four decades. His sole other appearance on television was in the limited series Hatfield & McCoys, for which he received an Emmy nomination.
His character is the Dutton family’s sixth-generation patriarch, and they control the largest ranch in the United States. The Paramount Network and series creator Taylor Sheridan required a major star for the part. And they were well aware that they would have to pay the money. Kevin Costner eventually agreed to an arrangement that pays him $500,000 per episode.
Kevin Costner’s Yellowstone’ paycheck ‘sends a message’ says former network boss
The Paramount Network underwent a major rebranding not long before Kevin Costner made his debut in Yellowstone. They took over Spike TV and then-network president Kevin Kay stated that they had great intentions.
Kay told The Hollywood Reporter in 2017 that they aimed to create high-end original material to compete with AMC and FX. To that end, Kay believes they must be willing to spend top dollar for A-list talent.
“The statement we wanted to make was that we’re open for business and we’re willing to pay top-tier actors whatever their quotes are. It sends a message and that’s what we want to do,” Kay said.
Despite the fact that Kay is no longer with Paramount, the network is carrying on with its aim and growing the Yellowstone world with huge names like Jeremy Renner.
