Yellowstone's Kevin Costner Reveals Why He Left the Series and Whether He'd Ever Return

Kevin Costner would return to Yellowstone under "the right circumstances."

By Timothy Adams

Yellowstone star Kevin Costner isn't ruling out a return to the Western drama. Fans of Yellowstone have had some time to process the news that Costner was stepping away from the Paramount series, and that Yellowstone would end its run with a fifth season. Some good news for Yellowstone fans is Paramount is hard at work on spinoffs, keeping the Yellowstone Universe alive even without Costner. The actor has stated in the past that he'd like to return for Yellowstone's final episodes, he's also reiterated he'd come back under "the right circumstances."

Kevin Costner was on the latest episode of Today Monday morning, where he spoke about his Yellowstone departure and the chances of a return down the line. "I did it for five years, and I wanted to work more than once a year. We lost an entire year at one point, and I thought, that can't happen again. It was well over a year. I thought I have to be in a position to make the things," Kevin Costner said on Today. "Material has to be ready at certain times, and we weren't able to do that. After five years, I thought, I'm not going to do this. If we can get that, we can do that, and I'll do it."

He added, "I've supported that thing and I've loved it, it's been really important to me. I would love to go back under the right circumstances. I think that's what all of us want. At this point, for me, it really needs to be the right circumstances."

Kevin Costner leaves Yellowstone for Horizon: An American Saga

While Costner's Yellowstone future is uncertain, the actor does have a new film coming to theaters this summer, Horizon: An American Saga. The two-part cinematic event, broken into Chapters One and Two, is directed and co-written by Costner and described as a "multi-faceted chronicle covering the Civil War expansion and settlement of the American West."

"Spanning the four years of the Civil War, from 1861 to 1865, Costner's ambitious cinematic adventure will take audiences on an emotional journey across a country at war with itself, experienced through the lens of families, friends and foes all attempting to discover what it truly means to be the United States of America."

Horizon: An American Saga Chapter One opens in theaters on June 28th with Chapter Two following on August 16th.

What is Yellowstone about?

Yellowstone chronicles the Dutton family who controls the largest contiguous cattle ranch in the United States. Amid shifting alliances, unsolved murders, open wounds, and hard-earned respect – the ranch is in constant conflict with those it borders – an expanding town, an Indian reservation, and vicious business rivalries.

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Yellowstone is co-created by Oscar-nominated screenwriter Taylor Sheridan (Wind River, Hell or High Water and Sicario) and John Linson. Executive producers include John Linson, Art Linson, Taylor Sheridan, Kevin Costner, David C. Glasser, Bob Yari, Stephen Kay and Christina Voros.

The first half of Season 5 wrapped up in January 2023, with the remaining six episodes scheduled to air on Paramount Network in November. 

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