Kevin Costner Responds to John Dutton’s Fate in ‘Yellowstone’ Premiere
Kevin Costner Reacts to John Dutton’s Shocking ‘Yellowstone’ Premiere Fate and Explains Why He Left the Show
Kevin Costner has shared his thoughts on the surprising turn of events for his character John Dutton in the latest Yellowstone premiere. The patriarch of the Dutton family was killed off in the opening moments of the season, and Costner was asked about his reaction to showrunner Taylor Sheridan’s bold decision.
“I heard it’s a suicide, so that doesn’t exactly make me eager to watch,” Costner said in a recent interview. When host Michael Smerconish pointed out that John Dutton didn’t seem like the “suicide kind of guy,” Costner replied, “Well, they’re pretty smart people. Maybe it’s a red herring. Who knows? They’re very good storytellers. They’ll figure it out.”
Indeed, the episode later revealed that Dutton’s death was staged to look like a suicide but was actually a murder orchestrated by a hitman hired by Jamie’s (Wes Bentley) girlfriend Sarah (Dawn Olivieri).
Interestingly, Costner admitted he hadn’t actually watched the episode himself and only learned about it secondhand. “I didn’t even know it was airing last night. Honestly, that’s a swear-to-God moment. I’ve seen ads with my face everywhere and thought, ‘Why am I not in this one?’ But I didn’t realize the premiere was yesterday. I only found out this morning.”
Costner also addressed questions about why he left Yellowstone, clarifying that it wasn’t a simple decision. Despite having a contract for the remaining three seasons, scheduling conflicts and contract negotiations with Paramount complicated matters, especially as he was focused on his Horizon film saga.
“There were contractual allowances for both Yellowstone and Horizon to be done, but it became difficult to coordinate schedules,” Costner explained. “I didn’t quit the show — I had a contract for all three remaining seasons. But over about eight months, two contract renegotiations happened, not at my request but theirs, and I accommodated those changes. When a third change was requested, I had obligations to fulfill with 300 people waiting on me. I had to prioritize that. Everyone has to honor their commitments, no matter the industry.”
Beyond the show, Costner also spoke about politics, expressing his support for Liz Cheney, who faced backlash for standing up to Donald Trump and endorsing Kamala Harris. “I’m very proud of Liz Cheney,” he said. “She’s willing to stand up against one side and take a stand. We should applaud and protect her. No one who stands up for what’s right should be threatened or vulnerable. As a man, I won’t allow it — and we shouldn’t allow it.”
Meanwhile, the Yellowstone premiere was a massive success, drawing in 16.4 million viewers across multiple airings — the largest first-night audience in the show’s history.
