Yellowstone had all the makings of what should have been a long-running series: intriguing storyline, great acting, beautiful scenery and cinematography, plenty of spinoffs, and it was a bona fide ratings hit. The Paramount Network show wrapped up the first part of its fifth season in January 2023, and viewers eagerly awaited the next batch of episodes. Unfortunately, what followed were confusing and conflicting reports about Part 2, and some cast and crew of the show remained mum on what was happening. Finally, in May 2023, it was announced that Season 5 of Yellowstone would be its last.
The decision to end Yellowstone shocked fans and critics alike, as it seemed like the show was ending while it was still at its peak. Yellowstone was actually the most watched cable TV show of the 2022-2023 season according to Variety, and the fifth season premiere logged 12.1 million same day viewers, making it the top scripted series premiere of 2022. And after a win for Kevin Costner for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series at the 2023 Golden Globes, it seems like more awards would soon follow.
It was hard to pick through the drama and rumors surrounding Yellowstone’s cancellation, but as time went on, it became clear as to why the series was coming to an end. Here’s what you need to know about why there won’t be a Yellowstone Season 6.
Why Isn’t Yellowstone Getting a Season 6?
Yellowstone isn’t getting a Season 6 because of a dispute between Costner and the Yellowstone team, which includes creator Taylor Sheridan. Even before the cancellation, there was a plan to split Season 5 into two parts, which Costner did not agree with. The split cut into the time he had to work on his own project, the upcoming Horizon: An American Saga, and he had already requested for less screen time during part one. That request was not possible, however, as Costner’s John Dutton character is the show’s lead.
It seems like Costner was unhappy with these decisions, and it looks like he might have already had one foot out the door. However, it was later revealed that Costner did want to come back for Season 6, and he and the show were negotiating about his contract and salary. Those talks later broke down and during his divorce proceedings; People reported that the actor stated, “I couldn’t help them [Yellowstone] any more. We tried to negotiate, they offered me less money than previous seasons, there were issues with the creative… we came up with a number, and they walked away.”
This scheduling dispute and Costner’s eventual departure was further complicated by the fact that SAG-AFTRA and WGA went on strike, so even if Costner and the team behind the show came to an agreement, nothing could be produced, written or filmed during the strikes, which lasted for most of summer 2023.
The strikes are now over, and the show is moving forward. Yellowstone Season 5 Part Two will premiere in November 2024—two years after part one premiered—but it’s still unclear if Costner will appear in any episodes.
However, it does seem like he will at least appear briefly to close out Dutton’s storyline. There’s a moral provision in place in his contract that states that his character can’t be killed off in a way he doesn’t approve of, and Sheridan himself said that he would never kill off one of his characters in an unsavory manner. “I’m disappointed. It truncates the closure of his character. It doesn’t alter it, but it truncates it…”I don’t do f***-you car crashes,” Sheridan told The Hollywood Reporter.
There is some good news that comes along with the sadness of Yellowstone’s ending, as a new show is going to take its place. The new series will be led by Matthew McConaughey, but other details are scarce. It’s not entirely clear if the new show will be related to the original Yellowstone story and the Duttons, and we also don’t know which characters will appear on the new show. But either way, it’s nice to know that the Yellowstone story isn’t totally over.