Kevin Costner Explains His Commitment to ‘Yellowstone’: “I Believed in the World”

Kevin Costner has starred in ‘Yellowstone’ for five seasons, from 2018 to 2022. Although his future on the show remains uncertain, he originally didn’t intend to commit for so long.

In a recent appearance on Dax Shepard and Monica Padman’s Armchair Expert podcast, Costner reflected on his initial plan for the hit Western drama. Before the show even began, he agreed to do three seasons. While promoting the series in Europe, he was asked if he would be involved for up to seven seasons. He mentioned that he thought it would be one long season and ended up appearing in all five seasons that have aired so far.

Despite the recent speculation about his continuation on the show, Costner expressed his enthusiasm for the project. “I just believed in the world. I knew it was a soap opera. We should all be in jail for the things we’ve done; logic goes out the window a bit,” he said. Referring to co-creator Taylor Sheridan, he added, “He has a great ear for writing authentically, and it was a lot of fun. He wrote my character and Kelly Reilly’s character exceptionally well.”

As fans eagerly await the second half of the fifth and final season, which began production in late May and is set to premiere on November 10, Costner’s role remains uncertain. While he is listed as an executive producer, it’s unclear if he will reprise his role as John Dutton after ongoing speculation and reported conflicts.

“I’d like to be able to do it, but we haven’t been able to,” Costner told ET in April. “I made five seasons and thought I was going to make seven, so I hope it works out. They have a lot of different shows in the works… Maybe this will circle back to me. If it does and I feel comfortable with it, I’d love to do it.”