Is Kevin Costner leaving 'Yellowstone'? What we know so far as John Dutton III actor skips fan event
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The 'Yellowstone' universe is constantly expanding with the upcoming spinoff movies. But now it seems the character who started it all might be bidding farewell to the show. Fans are speculating that John Dutton III actor Kevin Costner, who was one of the main reasons behind 'Yellowstone' reaching its greatest potential, will be leaving the show. While there were reports about Costner not providing enough time on the show and having been off working on another movie, there wasn't news about him saying goodbye. Last month, Kevin Costner won a Golden Globe for his portrayal on the show and now the star's exit is coming out as a shock to the audience.
The second half of the series doesn't seem like it's going to come out soon, as Kevin Costner is busy working on his new movie 'Horizon'. The path ahead doesn't look great for 'Yellowstone' and questions are looming over the franchise's production.
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Why are there speculations about Kevin Costner leaving?
The talks about Costner's departure have been in the air since February of this year. The second nail in the coffin happened when Paramount was in talks of expanding the Dutton saga with a new spinoff led by Matthew McConaughey. Also, Costner has been absent from the production for quite some time and his divided attention from the project has been the source of frustration for the team and creator Taylor Sheridan. It was also reported that Kevin Costner hasn't been giving as much time as per his contract with the show and that has caused a riff between the production and the star. Costner's attorney Marty Singer denied every accusation against the actor two weeks after the report, making the claim that his client was unwilling to work as "an absolute lie." When the rumors started to settle and it was quiet for some time, Costner and several other 'Yellowstone' stars weren't seen at the PaleyFest panel that happened earlier this week. The entire saga got people talking and it was assumed that things weren't quite great behind the scenes.
How will Season 5 be affected by Kevin Costner's departure?
Paramount had announced that the second half of Season 5 of 'Yellowstone' will be out during the summer of 2023, but as some of the key characters of the show were absent from PaleyFest Panel, that premiere date is looking less believable. Dawn Olivieri, who plays Sarah Atwood shared her perspective about the future of the show and said, "I've already been killed once. I'm coming back to life. It happens to the best of us," said the actress. "I don't know what's going to happen with him. I hope I get the chance to work with him. I do." According to People. Only time will tell what's in store for 'Yellowstone' and how the production will end the story of Kevin Costner's character if he was to leave the series.