“Kevin Costner Knew Exactly How ‘Yellowstone’ Should’ve Ended — But Taylor Sheridan Never Allowed It”
Kevin Costner Believed Yellowstone Deserved a Better Ending, But Taylor Sheridan Disagreed
Kevin Costner envisioned a much different — and arguably more fitting — ending for Yellowstone, one that Taylor Sheridan never allowed. Had Sheridan embraced Costner’s vision, the hit Paramount series might have become the Game of Thrones of the decade.
As Costner navigates financial challenges with his passion project Horizon: An American Saga, a self-funded four-part Western epic, fans are still discussing the fallout from his abrupt exit from Yellowstone. His departure stemmed from a bitter feud with Sheridan and the studio over scheduling conflicts, which ultimately reshaped the final season of the show.
A Finale Without Its Star
When Yellowstone returned for its final batch of episodes in Season 5B, it did so without its iconic lead. Costner’s character, John Dutton, was killed off in the premiere — off-screen — in a controversial move that disappointed many longtime fans. The finale wrapped up the remaining storylines with minimal conflict, and despite a few major deaths (like Wes Bentley’s Jamie), the ending felt strangely neat and consequence-free.
But that wasn’t how Costner saw the story ending.
Costner Wanted the Duttons to Face the Consequences
With a long history of success in the Western genre — including Dances with Wolves, Wyatt Earp, and Open Range — Costner brought authenticity and gravitas to Yellowstone. For over four seasons, he embodied the complex and morally gray ranch patriarch, John Dutton.
According to Costner, he envisioned an ending where the Dutton family finally paid for their crimes. In his words:
“It’s modern-day ranching. Yellowstone was able to capture that so beautifully. I mean, it’s a bit of a soap opera. We should all be in prison.”
His idea was bold — and in line with the show’s themes of corruption, power, and family loyalty. However, Sheridan had other plans. Yellowstone, despite its Western aesthetic, was always rooted in melodrama. An ending where the Duttons ended up behind bars may have been narratively satisfying, but it lacked the explosive drama Sheridan preferred.
Sheridan Defends John Dutton’s Shocking Death
The behind-the-scenes drama between Sheridan and Costner mirrored the intensity of the show itself. After the scheduling conflict made Costner’s return impossible, Sheridan chose to kill off John Dutton at the start of Season 5B — portraying his death as a suicide, only to later reveal it had been staged.
Sheridan defended the decision, explaining:
“There is something terrifying about people breaking into your home and putting you in a chokehold, and then murdering you and framing it as suicide. There’s no way that could resonate unless you saw it… To have created this character who is so bold and brave and noble and strong, that the violation of that person being taken off guard… it’s supposed to be infuriating.”
And infuriating it was. Many fans felt John Dutton deserved a more heroic or emotionally resonant send-off, not a mysterious off-screen demise.
The Future of the Yellowstone Universe
Though the Yellowstone finale was divisive, the franchise is far from over. With multiple spinoffs in the works — including new entries in the 1883 and 1923 timelines — Sheridan’s vision continues to expand.
Still, fans can’t help but wonder: what would Yellowstone have looked like if Kevin Costner had stayed — and if his vision for the Dutton family’s reckoning had made it to the screen?
