Paramount Network’s hit Western drama Yellowstone is returning for the second half of its 5th and final season (unless the rumored plans for a sixth season come to fruition) and is poised for a November 2024 return, leaving many fans wondering how the show could survive following the departure of star Kevin Costner. The sprawling drama revolves around influential rancher John Dutton (Costner) and the lasting legacy he provides for his family, which expands several generations throughout the TV franchise’s various prequels and spin-offs.
Furthermore, Costner’s star wattage reminds viewers that Yellowstone is far more cinematic than most TV shows, and without his presence moving forward, there may be very little reason to tune in for the final six episodes devoid of wrapping up John Dutton’s arc with satisfying closure. With Paramount already preparing The Madison, another upcoming Yellowstone spin-off starring Michelle Pfeiffer in modern-day Montana, it’s worth wondering how Yellowstone will cross the finish line without Costner leading the way.
Kevin Costner’s Yellowstone Exit, Explained
After starring as patriarch John Dutton in four seasons of Yellowstone between 2018 and 2022, Paramount announced Kevin Costner’s planned exit from the series in May 2023. The announcement came five months after the first half of Season 5, which ended with Costner’s final episode coming in “A Knife and No Coin.” In the episode, John is left speechless when his daughter Beth (Kelly Reilly) suggests her adopted brother Jamie (Wes Bentley) ought to be killed for his murderous ways.
Yellowstone fans were robbed of a conclusive exit for John Dutton in the Season 5 midway finale, leading many to believe Costner would return for the final six episodes and give viewers a sense of closure for the Dutton patriarch. Alas, five months later, Costner officially departed the show to focus on his expensive cinematic epic Horizon, a cinematic event that backfired at the box office, at least through its first installment. After grossing just $34 million worldwide against an estimated $100 million budget (via Box Office Mojo), Horizon was abruptly pulled from theaters, and its sequel was delayed from its initial August release date.
While leaving Yellowstone to direct and star in Horizon appears to be a mistake in retrospect, it would be nearly impossible for the Paramount series to execute the final episodes without Costner’s presence. Even if the drama in Yellowstone’s finale exceeds expectations, chances are good that the series will suffer a severe ratings decline without Costner leading the way.
Can Yellowstone Survive Without Costner?
Upon failing to give viewers a convincing conclusion for John Dutton, Yellowstone has lost credibility among its fanbase. If the show couldn’t properly wrap up the main character’s narrative arc, there is little reason to trust that the production will complete the other character arcs with satisfying results. While there is enough dramatic intrigue regarding Jamie’s fate at the Train Station, a euphemism for the Dutton family’s secret burial ground, most fans have already checked out following Costner’s sudden Yellowstone departure.
Beyond Costner’s exit and the lack of reasoning to tune in to Yellowstone’s final six episodes, the various spin-offs must be considered. The current entertainment world competes for audience attention, and with a fully completed series arc in 1883, an upcoming second season of 1923, and the inaugural season of 6666 expected to head to Paramount+ sometime in late 2024 (though it could be later), fans have plenty of options to go outside the main Yellowstone series. And that doesn’t even factor in The Madison, the next Yellowstone installment that contemporizes the Montana-set Western drama.
It would be one thing if the final events of Yellowstone bear serious consequences for the spin-offs mentioned above. However, the timeline of the family’s reign is already convoluted due to the jumps back and forth between the decades along the American frontier. As such, there is no real dramatic reason to watch Yellowstone’s final frames, especially without star Kevin Costner there to guide viewers to the finish line in a compelling fashion that resolves the most important Dutton family member’s fate. Yellowstone is streaming on Peacock.