Kevin Costner Says He Would ‘Love’ to Return to Yellowstone, If….
Kevin Costner says he loved his time on Yellowstone and would be open to reprising his role as John Dutton if asked (even after more than a year of off-camera tensions) — but only if he feels “really comfortable” with what’s presented to him.
Before the Writers Guild strike began last May, Yellowstone co-creator Taylor Sheridan had completed scripts for the back half of Season 5 that did not include Costner, whose alleged demands had been widely reported. Per the industry-insider newsletter Puck, Costner’s reps later expressed his desire to return for Season 5B — which resumes filming this spring and will premiere in November — and possibly more.
Sheridan was said to be willing to write Costner’s John Dutton back into 5B, until he got on the phone with Costner last July to hash it out. It was then, Puck claimed, that Costner detailed his demands for increased money, a reduced shooting schedule, and the right to review/approve/potentially veto every script. That was a no-go for Sheridan, who pens every episode.
On the witness stand at a September child support hearing connected to his divorce from Christine Baumgartner, Costner said that he had every intention of returning for a sixth season of Yellowstone, but “they offered me less money than previous seasons,” People reported. Costner also noted the decision to break Yellowstone‘s fifth season into two parts interfered with the filming of his two-part, big-screen Western/passion project, Horizon.
But when speaking to Entertainment Tonight on Tuesday at CinemaCon, Costner seemed to offer an olive branch.
“I’d like to be able to do [Season 5B],” Costner said, “but we haven’t been able to….” [He didn’t finish that thought.] “I loved making that series,” he continued. “I made five seasons of it, I thought I was going to make seven, but right now we’re at five. So how it works out — I hope it does — but they’ve got a lot of different shows going on,” including assorted prequels at what sounds like a Matthew McConaughey-led reboot of sorts.
“Maybe this will circle back to me,” Costner said, “and if it does and I feel really comfortable with it, I’d love to do it.”
Costner was also asked how he’d like to see John Dutton’s story conclude, when that time comes.
“I’ve kind of had my own fantasy how it might be, but that’s Taylor [Sheridan]’s thing. I said as much to him a while back,” Costner answered. “I had thoughts how it could happen, but we just have to see.”
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Honestly, I think the best thing for the show and the other character arcs is for him to leave. Plus, I’m kinda tired of the drama behind the scenes.
Saw the trailer to his movie Horizon recently and it feels like a Kevin Costner vanity project from the 90’s. Very old school and not in an interesting way….
That movie is going to bomb. I love KC but this has Waterworld vibes. And he no longer has young fans and old people don’t go to movies as much.
Maybe they should take a page from the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch and put Kevin and Taylor alone in a horse pen, and then let them duke it out for creative say-so on 5B :-)
Given how Costner hosed up Yellowstone, I bet a lot of fans of the show are hoping that Horizon will be this generation’s Waterworld.
Bring him back and uncancel it and stop this BS
With or without KC, Yellowstone needs to come back. The rest of the cast and their stories are way more interesting. But also, what about 1923? They left some huge story lines hanging. That show was amazing! Come on!
Costner not in the next series, I am out