Yellowstone/Kevin Costner Report Raises More Season 5 Questions

The first half of what we now know is the final season of Taylor Sheridan & Paramount Network’s Yellowstone teased what looked to be one major bloody family throwdown between John Dutton (Kevin Costner), Beth (Kelly Reilly), and Jamie (Wes Bentley) before the credits roll for the last time. But that still doesn’t quite match up with the all-too-real drama that’s been going on behind the scenes. Well before the current WGA/AMPTP writers’ strike began grinding productions to a halt, reports of growing tensions between Costner and Sheridan & the producers resulted in more questions being asked about when the series would return to film its final episodes than answers. Earlier this month, Bentley shared that he was still awaiting a production update and that he hadn’t read any scripts yet (“I haven’t, no. I truly don’t have a clue where it’s going. I haven’t seen or heard anything”). Now, a recent Daily Mail report could be adding a whole new wrinkle to how & when the series wraps.

Based on court papers obtained by DailyMail.com, Costner states in a filing for divorce proceedings from his wife, Christine, that he does “not anticipate that I will be on location for at least the rest of 2023.” In addition, the documents have Costner returning home to California by the end of the month to be with his children. How’s that a problem? Because the current plan is for production on the remaining Yellowstone episodes to kick off sometime in August… 2023. That doesn’t quite match up with what Costner has planned, according to the report. That said, all of this could become a moot point if the writers’ strike continues on into the fall – stay tuned!

Yellowstone: That Taylor Sheridan/Kevin Costner Report & More

In the Deadline Hollywood report from earlier this year, sources claimed that series star Costner’s reportedly ever-decreasing filming schedule and disagreements over it were a major factor in the reported split between Sheridan and the actor. According to DH, Costner “had originally limited himself to 65 days of shooting” on the popular series and wanted “to shoot for 50 days for the first part of the current season [Season 5].” But for episodes that remain in the current fifth season, it’s reported that Costner was only looking to spend “a week shooting.” The report alleges that Costner’s shooting schedule “has been a source of frustration for Sheridan” and that it has resulted in “morale problems” among the cast. In the Puck reporting, representatives & sources on Costner’s behalf pushed back on those accusations, saying that the actor more than met what was required of him.

Continuing on, the DH report also claimed that the decision to move on with a new show was made after Paramount Network declined Costner’s most recent proposal. It’s still unclear who, if anyone, from the original series would join the new chapter of the popular franchise if it materializes. In addition, it is still unclear if the series will be set on the on-screen family’s Montana ranch or a new location. The new series would begin its run on the cable channel Paramount Network and then stream exclusively on Paramount+. For its part, a Paramount Network spokesperson issued the following response at the time: “We have no news to report. Kevin Costner is a big part of Yellowstone, and we hope that’s the case for a long time to come. Thanks to the brilliant mind of Taylor Sheridan, we are always working on franchise expansions of this incredible world he has built. Matthew McConaughey is a phenomenal talent with whom we’d love to partner.”

Shortly after, a legal representative for Costner pushed back on the claims being leveled against the actor in a statement to Puck. “The idea that Kevin was only willing to work one week on the second half of Season 5 of ‘Yellowstone’ is an absolute lie,” said attorney Marty Singer in their statement. “It’s ridiculous—and anyone suggesting it shouldn’t be believed for one second. As everyone who knows anything about Kevin is well aware, he is incredibly passionate about the show and has always gone way above and beyond to ensure its success.” A rep for Paramount responded to Singer’s comments: “As we previously stated, Kevin [Costner] has been a key component of the success of our ‘Yellowstone’ series, and we hope that continues from here on out.”