“Kelly Reilly Says Kevin Costner’s Exit Didn’t Impact ‘Yellowstone’ Finale”
The final season of Yellowstone remains tightly under wraps, but one thing is clear: John Dutton will no longer be part of the Yellowstone Cinematic Universe—at least not in person. This follows Kevin Costner’s controversial exit from the series. The fate of John Dutton is one of the closely guarded secrets of the upcoming episodes, alongside the unresolved tension between Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Jamie (Wes Bentley). However, Reilly has disclosed that John’s absence won’t change the series’ conclusion that creator Taylor Sheridan had originally envisioned. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Reilly stated, “The absence was part of the ending. That’s not something that we had to pivot; it was already written into the tapestry of the story. It was always going to happen, it just unfolded a little differently.”
Reilly has been aware of Sheridan’s planned conclusion since Season 1, when he first revealed it to her. She noted that Sheridan had initially envisioned five seasons for the show, but its massive success led the network to seek more. “It was always going to be five seasons in [Sheridan’s] head, but because the show became so successful, the network and everyone wanted more,” Reilly explained. “So, in a way, fate took it, and we ended this part of Yellowstone in a way that he always envisioned it to end.”
What to Expect from Yellowstone‘s Final Season
When the first half of Season 5 premiered in early 2023, few realized it marked the beginning of the final season. Delays due to Costner’s schedule, script challenges, and the 2023 SAG and WGA strikes followed. Now, with Yellowstone set to return on November 10 on Paramount for its concluding episodes, it will do so without its leading man.
Details about the finale remain scarce, but a recent featurette provided fans with some insight. The cast emphasized the efforts made to maintain script security, particularly regarding Costner’s character’s exit from the show. Director Christina Voros commented that strict measures had to be implemented.
“There was a lot of security around the script and the narrative. It’s a huge testament to the tenacity of the crew, because you’ve learned how to do something a certain way for seven years, and all of a sudden have a new set of challenges that come from protecting the story for the sake of the audience.”
Yellowstone will return for its final season on Sunday, November 10, on Paramount Network. Stay tuned to Collider for further updates on the spin-off series The Madison and Yellowstone as they become available. Previous episodes of Yellowstone are available for streaming on Peacock.
