The rebirth of Yellowstone amidst star Kevin Costner’s exit has been largely shrouded in mystery. Last month, Paramount announced that at the conclusion of season five this November, TV’s top-rated drama series will be revamped to revolve around a new lead, played by Matthew McConaughey. But creator Taylor Sheridan has been tight-lipped about his plans for his TV empire’s crowned jewel—until now.
In a new Hollywood Reporter cover story, Sheridan breaks his silence on Costner’s sudden departure, which followed reported behind-the-scenes drama involving the number of days Costner was willing to shoot on the show. “My last conversation with Kevin was that he had this passion project he wanted to direct,” Sheridan told the outlet—a reference to Horizon, the multipart Western Costner is cowriting, directing, and starring in. “He and the network were arguing about when he could be done with Yellowstone. I said, ‘We can certainly work a schedule toward [his preferred exit date],’ which we did.”
According to THR, “there are ongoing discussions to try to convince” Costner to film remaining scenes to conclude his character John Dutton’s storyline. (Sheridan said he’s not currently writing, in solidarity with the ongoing writers strike.) “I’m disappointed,” Sheridan added of Costner’s decision to leave. “It truncates the closure of his character. It doesn’t alter it, but it truncates it.”
Elsewhere in the piece, Sheridan denied rumors that he had told Costner to “stick to acting,” words that were allegedly a contributing factor in his exit. “I never had that conversation with Kevin,” Sheridan said. “There was a time in season two when he was very upset and said the character wasn’t going in the direction he wanted … Kevin felt season two was deviating from that, and I don’t know that he was wrong. In season three, we steered back into it. And I recall him winning a Golden Globe last year for his performance, so I think it’s working.”
The creator—whose original series has spawned spin-offs including prequel series 1923, starring Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford, and 1883, led by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill—says he harbors no ill will toward Costner as a performer. “My opinion of Kevin as an actor hasn’t altered,” Sheridan explained. “His creation of John Dutton is symbolic and powerful … and I’ve never had an issue with Kevin that he and I couldn’t work out on the phone. But once lawyers get involved, then people don’t get to talk to each other and start saying things that aren’t true and attempt to shift blame based on how the press or public seem to be reacting. He took a lot of this on the chin and I don’t know that anyone deserves it.”
Sheridan also told THR that he wishes Costner well on his future endeavors. “His movie seems to be a great priority to him and he wants to shift focus,” he said. “I sure hope (the movie is) worth it—and that it’s a good one.” He also ruled out at least one means of onscreen death for John Dutton. “I don’t do fuck-you car crashes,” he said. “Whether [Dutton’s fate] inflates [Costner’s] ego or insults is collateral damage, that I don’t factor in with regard to storytelling.”
And the show will go on with McConaughey, Sheridan confirmed. “He seems like a natural fit,” he said of the Oscar winner. “We had a few conversations over the years, and spitballed a few ideas. Then he started watching Yellowstone and responded to it.” The cowboy lives to ride another day.
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