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Could Kevin Costner return to 'Yellowstone'? Fans are convinced John Dutton is still alive

Costner’s public confirmation that he hasn’t filmed additional episodes debunks these theories, but some fans think this might be intentional misdirection.

‘Yellowstone’ fans are no strangers to shocking plot twists, but the death of John Dutton, played by Kevin Costner, in the opening episode of Season 5 Part 2 has left viewers reeling. While the show’s narrative suggests the Dutton patriarch met his end in a calculated assassination, a vocal faction of fans remains unconvinced. They’re clinging to the hope that John’s death is a carefully orchestrated ruse, setting the stage for a jaw-dropping return.

John’s body was discovered in his bathroom; the scene was staged to look like a suicide. Later, it was revealed that John was a victim of an assassination plot by his son Jamie and his partner Sarah. As per Town and County magazine, the fallout from this revelation plunged the Dutton family into chaos, with Beth immediately blaming Jamie, Kayce harboring suspicions, and Jamie concocting a plan to sell parts of the ranch. Yet, amid this turmoil, fans have begun piecing together a theory— what if Dutton isn’t dead at all.”

On Reddit, a person argued, “Here's my theory for how John Dutton's death was faked. Someone, maybe even Jamie (this would make for a beautiful redemption arc between him and John), tipped him off that there was a credible threat on his life. So what they did was faked it, for various reasons...To do this, they'd have to get the entire Governor's security detail in on it, as well as the people who actually see John Dutton's body. This includes the examiners, police, investigators, and Kayce and Beth (a bit of a stretch, no?). This would explain the lack of security since they'd be in on the faking of it, as well as Kayce and Beth being distraught while in the mansion. They were acting.”

Meanwhile, before the series finale, another fan penned, “What if... this could be the greatest hoax in recent Hollywood and Kevin shows up albeit briefly, in the finale? John Dutton’s not dead!” Costner’s public confirmation that he hasn’t filmed additional episodes seems to debunk these theories, but some fans think this might be intentional misdirection.

‘Yellowstone’s history of surprises and the creator’s penchant for ruining expectations add fuel to the speculation. However, insiders were pushed back on these ideas. ‘Yellowstone’ director, Christine Voros, shared, “People don’t want it to be true. There were a lot of people who were outraged that John was killed— and you’re supposed to be outraged he was killed. The characters are outraged that he’s killed. So, in a strange way, it is the point. You are not supposed to be okay with it,” as reported by Esquire.

While the chances of a staged death are slim, fans’ hope reflects their deep connection to the character. Another Reddit user wrote, “Maybe, the reason they made it look like a suicide was a way for John Dutton to subliminally tell people who actually knew him, that he was still alive.” This theory stems from the fact that a person like John would never commit suicide.