Kevin Costner Confirms He Will Not Return To ‘Yellowstone’

Kevin Costner has officially confirmed his departure from “Yellowstone.” Costner took to Instagram to disclose that he’ll not be reprising his role on the show hours after Paramount Network revealed the return date for the hit series’ final episodes.

The announcement has left fans reeling, as Costner’s character, John Dutton, has been a central figure in the drama’s success.

Kevin Costner recently expressed disappointment about how none of his former co-stars stood up for him after rumors suggested that the clash in filming “Horizon: An American Saga” was to blame for his exit.

The star of the hit Paramount Network series “Yellowstone” took to his Instagram account to share an update on the reprisal of his John Dutton character on the show.

“An update for you guys. I’ll see you at the movies,” he captioned the video post, per Deadline.

“I want to reach out and let you know that after this long year and a half of working on Horizon and doing all the things that’s required, and thinking about Yellowstone, that beloved series that I love, that I know you love, I just realized that I’m not going to be able to continue Season 5B or into the future,” he said.

Costner continued, “It was something that really changed me. I loved it. And I know you loved it. And I just wanted to let you know that I won’t be returning and I love the relationship we’ve been able to develop and I’ll see you at the movies.”

In the comments section of Costner’s post, fans expressed their sadness at his departure but noted gratitude for what he did while on the hit series. Others stated they would no longer support the show.

One person wrote, “Bummer. You were a great part of Yellowstone, and won’t be the same (or last for much longer) without you in it. All the best in your future endeavors. Have been a big fan of [yours] for long.”

Another said, “Thanks for all you gave to Yellowstone, it won’t be the same without you. Life’s journey is always full of different roads. I am looking forward to the road that leads to Horizon.”

“It was a great show but you were the heart of it, so I just lost my interest in supporting it. Can’t wait for Horizon, though!” a third person commented.

One more fan wrote, “It was a great series! Loved it! Won’t be watching without you on the show..looking forward to Horizon part 1&2! See you at the movies!”

With Costner’s exit, the fate of the Dutton ranch and the future of the show are uncertain. Fans have also taken to social media to share their dissatisfaction.

In a recent interview with People magazine, the “Hidden Figures” actor expressed his disappointment with his former co-stars, decrying how none of them stood up for him regarding prior rumors surrounding his exit.

“I read all the stories,” he said. “I was disappointed that nobody on their side… ever stepped up to defend what it was I actually did for them. There came a moment where I thought, ‘Wow, when is somebody going to say something about what I have done versus what I haven’t done?'”

He emphasized that he loves the show and has had to make sacrifices to accommodate filming schedules. Costner noted that the series was first pitched to him as a lengthy one-season movie, but after the network wanted it to go on, he “stepped up.”

“I said, ‘I’ll do it for three seasons,'” he shared, “and I ended up doing it for five.”

Elsewhere in his interview with People, the 69-year-old actor shared that he was not totally shutting the door on a return to the series; however, certain conditions had to be met.

“I’ve always felt that…It might be an interesting moment to come back and finish the mythology of this modern-day family,” he said. “And if that happens, I would step into it if I agreed with how it was being done.”

He added, “In the very end, I couldn’t do any more for it than I had already done.”

Costner’s exit from the show comes after he was reportedly embroiled in a three-way feud involving his camp, show producer Taylor Sheridan and Paramount Network.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the bane of the matter seems to be Costner’s liking for how his character ends. He reportedly wanted to have a say in his character’s fate, but Sheridan, like most showrunners, does not let actors choose their storylines.

In an appearance at CinemaCon to promote his movie “Horizon: An American Saga,” Costner shared how he’d love for his character on the show to end, per Entertainment Tonight.

“[Dutton] needs to be proactive in what happens, and I’ve kind of had my own fantasy about how [the character’s final arc] might be,” Costner explained. “But that’s Taylor’s thing. I said as much to him a while back. I had thoughts about how it could happen, but we just have to see.”