Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan has finally addressed the real reason Kevin Costner left the smash-hit series in a rare candid interview about his departure. Costner starred in the series for four and a half seasons until his exit was announced in May 2023. The Hollywood star portrayed ranch owner and later the Governor of Montana in the popular Western drama, which follows a powerful family of cattle ranchers who use violence and intimidation to retain their control over some of the most valuable land in the state.
Sheridan Reveals Costner's Original Contract
During an appearance on The Bill Simmons Podcast, Sheridan has finally opened up further after the loss of Yellowstone’s leading man. He also spilled the bombshell revelation that Costner was actually only supposed to appear in the first three seasons before his contract was renegotiated.
“That was in his contract,” he explained. “In my mind, that's when his youngest son takes over [on the show]... But the network was so scared of not having Kevin be a part of it, even though Kevin was ready.”
“He was ready to go. He had other things he wanted to do but he stayed on for another two seasons,” Sheridan added.
Costner's Post-Yellowstone Project
Shortly following his departure, Costner went straight to work on his own Western project, the ambitious four-part cinematic epic Horizon: An American Saga. The first instalment unfortunately flopped at the box office, leaving the completed second film without a wide release and production on the subsequent two chapters in standstill.
Sheridan explained that losing Costner completely was seen as a huge risk for the Paramount Network, adding: “The notion of giving up a hit before it had run out of juice to squeeze is very foreign to a network.”
Network Pressure and Spin-offs
Other cable companies were also muscling in, Sheridan went on, putting pressure on Paramount to renew Yellowstone for a certain number of seasons. “That’s the power of a really big hit show,” he says. Eventually, Costner “hit a point” where it was time to “do [his] own thing”.
“But we originally conceived it together that it was three seasons and then the baton is handed. ... Because we had to tread water for a bit there. I think it was pretty evident,” he concluded.
Sheridan did eventually get his wish with John Dutton’s youngest son, Kayce (Grimes), currently heading up his own spin-off, Marshals, which will return for a second season later this year.
Also starring Kelly Reilly, Cole Hauser, Wes Bentley and Luke Grimes, the series has spawned several equally successful spin-offs, including Dutton Ranch, starring Reilly and Hauser reprising their roles as John’s daughter Beth and her husband Rip, which concluded its first season this Friday (June 3).
Reach has contacted representatives for Paramount and Kevin Costner for comment.
Yellowstone is available to stream on Paramount+. Seasons 1-4 are currently available on Netflix UK.
