Kevin Costner Reveals How Yellowstone Should Have Ended After His Character’s Exit
Kevin Costner Shares How Yellowstone Should Have Ended and What’s Next for the Star
Yellowstone star Kevin Costner may be ready to ride off into the sunset when it comes to the Dutton legacy — but not without sharing his final thoughts on how the hit series should have ended.
The Academy Award-winning actor portrayed patriarch John Dutton III for five iconic seasons before his unexpected departure, with his character ultimately being killed off. Now, Costner is offering a candid take on how he believes the show could’ve wrapped things up more realistically.
“Well, it’s modern-day ranching — Yellowstone really captured that beautifully,” the 70-year-old told a publication. “But it’s a bit of a soap opera. We should all be in prison,” he quipped, referencing the countless crimes, cover-ups, and deaths the Dutton family and their allies managed to get away with over the years.
His comment speaks to the show’s gritty and often lawless nature — a core part of its storytelling. While justice was often left unchecked on screen, that chaos helped fuel the drama fans came to love, leading to multiple spin-offs and an expanding Yellowstone universe.
Earlier this month, actor Luke Grimes confirmed he’ll be returning to the franchise in a sequel series, reprising his role as youngest Dutton son, Kayce Dutton.
“Cowboys don’t say goodbye, they say see you later,” Grimes shared on social media as he announced the news.
In the new series, Kayce is set to join an elite unit of U.S. Marshals, where his cowboy grit and military experience will be used to bring justice to the Montana frontier.
While Grimes prepares for his return to the world of Yellowstone, Costner is shifting gears with a new project: an eight-part documentary series titled The West.
Set to premiere on May 28 with a triple-episode debut on Stan, The West will be hosted and executive produced by Costner himself, alongside Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin. The series will explore 100 years of the American frontier, diving deep into the lives of outlaws, cowboys, lawmen, and settlers who shaped the Wild West.
For fans of Costner and Western storytelling, it’s a must-watch journey through history — even as the Yellowstone chapter closes for the star.
