“Kevin Costner Originally Envisioned ‘Yellowstone’ as a One-Season Show”

Kevin Costner initially only intended to do one season of Yellowstone. The 69-year-old actor recently announced that he is leaving his role as John Dutton before the second half of the fifth and final season to focus on other projects. However, Costner has revealed that he never planned to stay with the show beyond the first season.

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Costner shared, “‘Yellowstone’ was a great moment in my life. I remember reading the script and thinking I wanted to do this. Maybe one season or just one long movie. And here I am, having done five seasons. It was important for me to explore other opportunities, but I wasn’t able to make that work.”

Despite his departure, Costner described his experience on the show as “wonderful” and hopes it will be a significant part of his legacy. He said, “I make movies and work on projects that I believe will be memorable. ‘Yellowstone’ was a surprise hit, and it was wonderful to be part of that.”

Costner’s current focus is on his Western epic movie series, Horizon: An American Saga, with the first installment, Chapter 1, set to release later this month. He co-wrote, directed, and stars in the planned four-part series and aims for it to be compelling for audiences of all ages. He explained, “‘Horizon,’ even though it’s rated R, is something I hope will resonate with viewers and spark an interest in the history of their ancestors.”

Following months of speculation, Costner confirmed via Instagram that he will not return for the final episodes of Yellowstone. He stated, “After a long year and a half of working on ‘Horizon’ and reflecting on ‘Yellowstone,’ I realized I am not going to be able to continue with season 5b or beyond. I just wanted to reach out and let you know.”