Kevin Costner Addresses Fan Backlash Over John Dutton’s Fate in Yellowstone

The death of Kevin Costner’s Yellowstone character, John Dutton III, has stirred up strong reactions among fans, many of whom were shocked and outraged by how the Dutton patriarch was written off the series. But for Costner, who had been involved in discussions about his character’s fate, the backlash hasn’t rattled him.

“Fans have a voice in things,” the two-time Oscar winner told reporters. He revealed that he had pitched two different endings for John Dutton to series creator Taylor Sheridan “a while back,” though the final decision ultimately rested with the producers.
(Spoiler alert: John’s death was orchestrated by Sarah Atwood—played by Dawn Olivieri—the girlfriend of his estranged son Jamie, portrayed by Wes Bentley.)

Reflecting on the showrunners’ decision, Costner shrugged off any controversy: “They do what they want to do. That’s fine with me.”

Costner confirmed his departure from the hit Western series back in June, citing scheduling conflicts with his ambitious four-part film project, Horizon: An American Saga.

“It was something that really changed me,” said Costner, who starred in Yellowstone for four and a half seasons. “I love the relationship we’ve been able to develop, and I’ll see you at the movies.”

Speaking about Horizon, Costner noted that Chapter 2 will directly connect to the first installment, and he’s currently working through the development of Chapters 3 and 4.

“Everyone seems to think things come easily to me,” he reflected. “And while projects do sometimes come my way, the ones I truly want to make often require a bigger fight.”

Still, he’s undeterred.

“If this is what it takes to bring a movie to audiences in America and around the world,” he added, “then that’s exactly what I’ll do.”