Kevin Costner has confirmed that he will not be returning to Yellowstone for its upcoming final episodes, and fans are upset with the news.
The Oscar-winning actor and director turned to social media on Thursday (June 20) to reveal that after the very public back-and-forth that he’s engaged in with the show’s producers over the last year-plus, he will not return for the second half of Yellowstone Season 5, which is set to premiere in November.
Costner says that although he loves the series, “I just realized that I’m not going to be able to continue Season 5 B or into the future.”
“It was something that really changed me. I loved it,” he states in a video message to his fans. “And I know you loved it. I just wanted to let you know that I won’t be returning.”
READ MORE: Yellowstone’s Best Scenes Revealed
The first half of Yellowstone Season 5 aired in late 2022, but the second half got delayed for more than a year due to scheduling conflicts with series creator Taylor Sheridan’s long roster of other shows, as well as the strikes in Hollywood.
Costner ‘s scheduling conflict was due to his work on an ambitious four-part epic titled Horizon: An American Saga. He revealed that he was no longer under contract to Yellowstone in 2023, and Sheridan later said in an interview that he was working around Costner’s absence.
However, a potential lawsuit Costner alluded to over his pay-or-play deal for future seasons never materialized, and Costner said repeatedly that he’d still like to work things out, leading to online speculation that he might still return to wrap the show.
Fans online were upset with the news that Costner will not be back, but most of them voiced support for the actor and his upcoming film series.
“Bummer. You were a great part of Yellowstone, and won’t be the same (or last for much longer) without you in it,” one fan writes.
“I’m actually more excited about Horizon,” another X user adds. “Thank you for giving your fans a heads up.”
Others were more succinct.
“Sheridan sucks. Can’t wait for Horizon!” a fan writes on X, while another simply states, “Totally blows.”
Costner’s announcement came on the same day that Yellowstone revealed the premiere date for its final episodes. Yellowstone will premiere on Paramount on Sunday, Nov. 10, at 8PM ET, and the new episodes will bring the series to an end.
Sterling Whitaker is a Senior Writer and Senior Editor for Taste of Country. He focuses on celebrity real estate, as well as coverage of Yellowstone and related shows like 1883 and 1923. He’s interviewed cast members including Cole Hauser, Kelly Reilly, Sam Elliott and Harrison Ford, and Whitaker is also known for his in-depth interviews with country legends including Don Henley, Rodney Crowell, Trace Adkins, Ronnie Milsap, Ricky Skaggs and more.
PICTURES: See Inside Kevin Costner’s Spectacular Colorado Ranch
Yellowstone star Kevin Costner lives the ranch life when he’s off the set of the hit show, too. The Oscar-winning actor owns a 160-acre ranch in Aspen, Colo., that’s a spectacular getaway, complete with a main residence, a lake house and a river house.
The luxury retreat also features a baseball field, a sledding hill, an ice rink, multiple hot tubs and views of the Continental Divide. The ranch property comfortably sleeps 27 people, and it’s currently available to rent for 36,000 a night.
Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker
PICTURES: See Inside ‘Yellowstone’ Star Cole Hauser’s Spectacular California Ranch
Cole Hauser doesn’t just play a rancher on Yellowstone, he’s lived that life off-screen, too. The actor’s 5-bedroom-6-bathroom, 5,402-square-foot rural home on a very private, double-gated three-acre parcel of land includes the lavish 4-bedroom, 4-bathroom main residence, as well as a guest house and a separate studio apartment. The main house runs completely on solar power and comes with a 3-car garage, with easy transitions between indoor and outdoor living spaces, and the exterior of the property includes a pool area and a hot tub, as well as fenced-in horse corrals.
Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker
See Inside ‘Yellowstone’ Star Ryan Bingham’s Gorgeous $2.45 Million Estate
Yellowstone star and singer-songwriter Ryan Bingham has listed his 3-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom, 2,394-square-foot home in an exclusive area of Los Angeles for sale, and pictures show a beautiful, luxurious property that offers stunning mountain views.
Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker
PICTURES: See Inside ‘Yellowstone’ Star Hassie Harrison’s Spectacular $2.7 Million Villa
Yellowstone star Hassie Harrison is selling her stunning villa in a private California canyon, and pictures show a rare property that’s worth every penny of her nearly $2.7 million asking price.
Harrison’s 3-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom, 2,579-square-foot home was built in 1958 and has since been updated into a Mediterranean-style villa.
The property is remarkably secluded, with just one small, private road leading to the gated front of the home. It opens onto soaring canyon views at the back of the property, and almost every interior room boasts stunning views out over the canyons, while the exterior boasts outdoor living spaces, a fireplace and more.
Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker
PICTURES: See Inside ‘Yellowstone’ Actor Barret Swatek’s $100 Million Malibu Estate
Yellowstone actor Barret Swatek is selling her spectacular oceanfront estate in Malibu, and pictures show a bedazzling property that’s one of the most upper-crust properties even in that illustrious zip code.
Swatek and her husband, former hedge fund manager Adam Weiss, are asking for just under $100 million for their 4-bedroom, 5.5-bathoom, 7,450-square-foot contemporary villa that sits directly beachside on the white sands of El Sol Beach, one of the most exclusive spots even according to Malibu standards.
Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker
You Can Rent a Cabin on the Ranch From ‘Yellowstone’ – See Pictures
The stunning Montana ranch that serves as the setting for the hit TV show Yellowstone offers cabins for rent, and the price includes tours of the set and ranch. Scroll below to see photos of the extraordinary property.
Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker