Do you think drama just stays on screen in the entertainment industry? Well, no…sometimes, it can seep into the behind-the-scenes operations of some of our favorite shows. Kevin Costner, the celebrated actor known for his roles in films like Dances with Wolves and The Bodyguard, has found himself at the forefront of some recent production troubles with his hit TV series, Yellowstone.
Apart from a few remarks made earlier this year, in which he delighted fans by expressing interest in returning for a potential sixth season, Costner has stayed silent about the conflict. But, in a recent chat with Deadline, the California-born actor, 69, shared his own serialized story as he gets ready to debut the first chapter of Horizon: An American Saga at Cannes (on May 19, 2024).
Inside Scoop: How Kevin Costner’s Contract Alteration Impacted the Filming of Yellowstone
Kevin Costner is again in the headlines lately after revealing that production on Yellowstone’s upcoming seasons has hit some roadblocks. During the interview with Deadline, he addressed the allegedly false narrative circulated in the media after his departure.
Accordingly, the Oscar-winning actor originally signed a contract only limited to a single season. But after that, he was able to make it for three; he completed a fourth one for them, and they requested three more. Sadly, due to a sudden change in their “format” and other issues, production on the series has been delayed. Costner said:
“I made it for three. I fulfilled three. So, I went from one to three, then I did a fourth one for them and they wanted to do three more….It’s just that simple: Paramount and 101 Studios mismanaged this. They had me for five, six, and seven. I agreed to do it. And then they steadily began changing their format.”
Costner even ended up leaving another project early in order to accommodate the filming schedule for Yellowstone, only to find out that the necessary scripts for the series were not prepared:
“I didn’t do Horizon because I was tired of doing Yellowstone. That’s a bullsh*t story. I didn’t do Horizon to compete with Yellowstone.”
According to The Untouchables star, he made Yellowstone his top “priority” and even “did not work for 14 months” after the season’s production was halted. In his words:
“I made Yellowstone the first priority, and to insinuate anything else would be wrong… And I don’t know why they didn’t stick up for me…There’s nothing I could have done to get out of that, nor was I trying to just figure out how, when we started.”
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It was at this point that Costner admitted “everything imploded”. Because the scripts were not completed, he was forced to leave filming Horizon: An American Saga.
Breaking the Silence: Kevin Costner’s Bold Critique of Yellowstone’s Producers
For the first five seasons of Yellowstone on Paramount+, Kevin Costner portrayed the patriarch of the family, John Dutton; however, it has been incredibly unclear when he will return to finish the run.
Although Costner stated in an ET interview last month that he would like to rejoin the series, he left the final ball in Taylor Sheridan’s court. Arguments and rumors surfaced, alleging that the actor was more focused on securing as much time for this film than completing the story of John Dutton.
However, Costner informed Deadline that the reports were “not truthful”. Speaking of Yellowstone’s producers, the actor said:
“I took a beating over these guys not speaking up for me and allowing crazy stories to come out. I haven’t felt good about it the last year, what with the way they’ve talked about it. It wasn’t truthful.
The Postman director then singled out the rest of the Yellowstone production team, stating:
“It all happened because they shut down one whole season, didn’t tell anybody…. ‘I can’t ever go through that again, where you shut down for over a year and I don’t have something in line to do.’”
Despite the setbacks, Costner remains committed to the show and expressed his willingness to return if the writing is up to par. The actor vowed, “If the writing is there, I will be there too.”
It is evident that the gifted actor is not letting failures stop him, as fans excitedly await the release of Costner’s new project, Horizon: An American Saga, as well as the upcoming episodes of Yellowstone.
Meanwhile, Yellowstone Season 5: Part Two will be released in November, 2024.