When the drama series Yellowstone first flickered across home screens in June 2018, the cable channel Paramount Network had every reason to be happy – because not only were the viewers visibly enthusiastic, but the strict film critics also had mostly praise. At least Yellowstone was able to attract an outstanding actor in Kevin Costner, who embodied the role of John Dutton in a way that hardly anyone else could have done.
But now it’s over for John Dutton – after five seasons, Kevin Costner left the neo-western series, which also ends. However, as a People magazine article shows, there was not just in the lives of the fictional charactersbut also behind the scenes with the actors themselves. We have the sad chronology of how the once most successful US series faltered and brought the end forward.
Kevin Costner is more passionate about Horizon than Yellowstone
Anyone who goes to the cinema at the moment can hardly miss the new western epic Horizon – a film that has even entered into unusual advertising partnerships, for example with the Berlin public transport company. The marketing is on point, and leading actor Kevin Costner is also fully involved – so much so that he gave up his popular role as John Dutton in Yellowstone for this.
While Horizon has only been known to the general public since the end of August, the film by and starring Kevin Costner has been causing excitement on the set of Yellowstone since February 2023. At the time, rumors were circulating that the celebrated actor would rather devote himself to his own project, the multi-part Horizon film series.
Watch a trailer for the second half of Yellowstone Season 5 here:
Yellowstone – S05b Teaser Trailer (English) HD
According to the industry magazine Deadline, Costner’s divided attention and his limited filming time slot led to considerable resentment from series creator Taylor Sheridan. Than finally no agreement between both sides could be achieved, the broadcaster announced in May 2023 that the second half of the fifth season would also be the final section of Yellowstone. At the time, it was the most successful US series, recording huge numbers with 12.1 million viewers in the premiere of season 4.
Yellowstone creators Taylor Sheridan and Kevin Costner just couldn’t agree
But it wasn’t just Costner’s divided attention that caused conflict with Sheridan, but also his extensive demands. In July 2023, according to Puck, Sheridan and Costner were already talking about what Costner’s return could look like. The actor demanded a higher salary, a reduced shooting schedule and the right to participate in the scripts. As negotiations stalled and filming paused, both sides remained tight-lipped.
In August 2023, Kevin Costner spoke openly about that financial reasons contributed to his exit from Yellowstone. He stated that he would have been willing to return for a 6th season, but declined because he was offered a lower salary than previous seasons. The often mentioned “creative differences” were another reason. Almost a year later, in June 2024, Costner categorically ruled out a return to Yellowstone.
There were also differences between Costner and his wife. Shortly after Kevin Costner’s exit from Yellowstone was announced, it was announced that his wife of 18 years, Christine Baumgartner, had filed for divorce. The proximity of both events led to speculation that Baumgartner may have had an influence on Costner’s decision. However, in court documents, Baumgartner denied pressuring him to leave the series. The private circumstances remain unclearsince neither Baumgartner nor Costner speaks publicly about it.
Other actors also caused a stir
Not only Kevin Costner caused a stir on the set of Yellowstone, but also many of his colleagues, as Business Insider lists. This is how the controversy arose over Kelsey Asbille, who plays a Native American role in the series. She was accused of misrepresenting her Cherokee ancestry.
Luke Grimes, known from True Blood, also made headlines. It supposedly left the series because he didn’t want to play an LGBTQIA+ role. Grimes’ representatives said the actual reason was a scheduling issue. However, the allegations alone caused considerable uproar.
In recent years, Yellowstone has experienced more ups and downs than almost any other series. However, the decisive factor for the end of the enormously successful series was probably Kevin Costner’s exit. Ultimately, the central face is lost, for which there probably would not have been an adequate replacement.