Taylor Sheridan’s neo-western series Yellowstone seems to be facing some challenges as of late. Kevin Costner has been carrying the show since 2018 and we are deep into John Dutton’s character arc with season 5 which was released late last year.
There are some speculations on the internet as Costner has his plate full with the sensational divorce from his partner Christine Baumgartner, that he may not return for part two of season 5 which Sheridan had planned to release late this year.
According to reports coming out of his divorce papers, Costner could either come back for a short stint to finish Dutton’s story arc or could face a fatal end toward the final few episodes.
For reasons unknown, Sheridan has also pulled back Costner’s compensation for the show. Although the actor has opened up that other than some back-end deals, he has been relieved from the studio’s payroll.
Kevin Costner’s Divorce Giving Yellowstone Massive Hiccups
As this is the final season, fans have been getting anxious about the future of John Dutton. Following his divorce which has put the actor in the limelight for no good reason, it is being reported that Kevin Costner is under no contract to come back.
Sheridan, in his conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, opened up about the plot pivot that had to happen due to Costner’s alleged decision to stay away from the show for good.
“I’m disappointed,” Sheridan stated. “It truncates the closure of his character. It doesn’t alter it, but it truncates it.”
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Nonetheless, he also hinted that he had planned the fate of John Dutton during the initial run of the series and Costner may come on board to culminate his story.
Another Major Challenge Looms Over Yellowstone
We are currently going through Hollywood’s worst nightmare as the artists throughout the industry have decided to band together and bring the conglomerates to their knees.
Kevin Costner had been getting around $1.3m so far for the show, but court documents reportedly revealed that he had been dropped from any financial support for his appearance.
His statement came as a major shock to fans –
“I will earn substantially less in 2023 than I did in 2022. This is because I am no longer under contract for ‘Yellowstone,’ the principal source of my income last year.”
But for now, the second part of season 5 has been put on hold as writers and actors are out on strike for multiple reasons. Almost all major actors are participating in the strike due to poor working conditions and unfair pay.
While it hurts not knowing whether or not Kevin Costner will be back for John Dutton’s swansong, we can at least rejoice as The Untouchables star will direct and share the screen with actors like Jamie Campbell Bower, Michael Rooker, and Sam Worthington in his four-part civil war epic Horizon.
The release date is under wraps for now.