The ongoing drama surrounding Kevin Costner and Yellowstone has taken another wild turn. Costner’s exit from Yellowstone as John Dutton has been widely reported and even addressed by Costner and series creator Taylor Sheridan. Yet, a new report from Puck stated that Costner expressed interest in returning to the hit series for Season 5 and beyond.
Why Does Kevin Costner Want to Return to Yellowstone?
According to Matthew Belloni of Puck, Sheridan completed scripts for the second half of the fifth season that did not include Costner’s Dutton. Upon hearing this, Costner’s reps reached out to Sheridan and Paramount, gauging interest in a potential return to the show.
“I’d heard that Costner’s reps were basically begging for Sheridan and Paramount to have him back for 5B and possibly Seasons 6 and 7,” Belloni wrote in his newsletter.
Sheridan was willing to write Costner back into Yellowstone Season 5 and spoke with the actor about a potential return in July. But, Costner’s return included a list of demands, including an increased salary, reduced shooting schedule, and “the right to review, approve and potentially veto every Sheridan script.” Sheridan, who writes every episode, did not agree to the veto.
The report mentioned how “it’s now more likely than ever that Costner won’t return” to Yellowstone. If the Dutton patriarch is killed off the show, it will have to be approved by Costner, who has a “moral death” provision in his contract, according to Belloni. This clause means the character cannot be killed off in ways “that would cause shame or embarrassment to John Dutton – and, implicitly, to Costner and his family.”
At his divorce hearing earlier this month, Costner hinted that his battle against Paramount will “probably go to court.” Costner said he was negotiating to return for two more seasons for $24 million, but it fell through after the producers “walked away.”
It is unknown when the second half of Yellowstone Season 5 will air. Until then, CBS will air episodes of Yellowstone Season 1 this fall.
