“Yellowstone Honors Kevin Costner on His 70th Birthday – and Faces Instant Backlash”

Many fans haven’t forgotten the controversy surrounding Kevin Costner’s exit from Yellowstone, and that became glaringly evident when the series’ official Instagram account posted a birthday message in honor of his 70th birthday. The response was immediate, with many fans quick to roast the gesture, dubbing it a birthday message from Costner’s “ex.”

While Costner’s milestone birthday was celebrated by many across social media, the Yellowstone post, featuring a picture of him as the iconic John Dutton, sparked a wave of criticism. Fans were quick to express their frustration over his departure from the show, which ended under less-than-ideal circumstances.

The first jab came from user Andrew25evans, who humorously commented, “When your ex wishes you a happy birthday.” The tone shifted with a more pointed remark from iamshellyshel, who stated, “Y’all did him so dirty the way you sent him off…shame.” Others, like c.bowen and freedomtexan1776, echoed similar sentiments, claiming, “TS [Taylor Sheridan] did him dirty.”

That said, there were still many who took the opportunity to celebrate Costner’s birthday without commenting on the drama, choosing to ignore the contentious end to his time on Yellowstone. The fallout from Costner and Sheridan’s fallout is still a sore point for many, and though both sides have their share of blame in the split, it remains a sensitive topic among fans.

Kevin Costner’s Exit Still Looms Large Over Yellowstone

Even though Yellowstone has officially wrapped—despite a series of spin-offs and sequels continuing the franchise—Costner’s absence has left a lingering shadow over the show. His character, John Dutton, was written out early in Season 5, and for many, the absence of the Dutton patriarch was felt deeply, impacting the final season’s reception.

Once a critical darling, Yellowstone saw its lowest-ever audience score on Rotten Tomatoes after the release of Season 5B. Fans unhappy with the direction of the final episodes flooded review platforms, dragging down the show’s overall ratings. Despite the backlash, the episodes still attracted solid viewership numbers, and Sheridan’s broader Yellowstone-universe plans, including spinoffs like 1923 and The Madison, were unaffected by the drama.

As for Costner, he has moved on from Yellowstone to focus on his own passion project, Horizon: An American Saga, a multi-film Western series. However, the future of the franchise appears uncertain. The first movie in the series failed to recoup its production costs at the box office, and the second film has already been delayed from its original August 2024 release. Despite investing around $100 million into the project, Costner is reportedly seeking investors to help fund the next installments, leaving the future of his ambitious saga up in the air.