Yellowstone almost starred a different Western movie icon as John Dutton, and if this plan had come to pass, the show would have ended much sooner. While Kevin Costner has starred in everything from romantic dramas to horror movies, he’s become closely associated with Westerns. His breakthrough role was in 1985’s Silverado, and in later years he starred in and directed the acclaimed Dances with Wolves, played the titular lawman in Wyatt Earp and helmed the underrated Open Range.
Costner’s upcoming movie series Horizon: An American Saga also promises to be a major event. Of course, in recent years Costner’s biggest success has been Yellowstone, where he plays patriarch John Dutton. Yellowstone is very much a modern Western, with Costner signing on to the show being one of the reasons it became such a success. Yellowstone and its many spinoffs are some of the biggest series on TV, but the original show is set to end with the upcoming second part of season 5. Costner is also leaving Yellowstone under tense circumstances.
Robert Redford Originally Agreed To Play John Dutton In Yellowstone
HBO wanted a big star for the show
The Yellowstone extended universe will survive its demise, though a question mark surrounds Costner’s involvement in the final episodes. In an alternate timeline, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid star Robert Redford almost played Yellowstone’s John Dutton, however. Sheridan recalled in a 2023 THR interview that when the show was in development with HBO, he was told he’d need a big star for the project to get greenlit.
They said, ‘We want Robert Redford. They said, ‘If you can get us Robert Redford, we’ll greenlight the pilot.’
Taking them at their word, the writer/director went to meet Redford. To the shock of all involved, the Hollywood vet actually agreed to play Dutton too. While it has become almost customary for movie stars to dip their toes into television in the last decade or so, Redford agreeing to Yellowstone was a particularly big deal. Since becoming a movie star, Redford hadn’t appeared in a television series since his early days making guest appearances on the likes of The Twilight Zone during the early 1960s.
Why Robert Redford Exited Yellowstone
HBO only wanted a “Robert Redford type”
Armed with Redford’s commitment, Sheridan returned to HBO for his expected greenlight. It wasn’t forthcoming though, because after the initial shock of letting them know the movie icon said yes, they said “We meant a Robert Redford type.’ ” Sheridan states the network was always a little cold on the project, with a network VP telling the show’s creator “We’re HBO, we’re avant-garde, we’re trendsetters. This feels like a step backward.”
When it became clear the series wouldn’t be moving ahead with HBO, Sheridan shopped it around to other networks. Redford dropped out of the John Dutton role during the transition from HBO to Paramount, during which the showrunner went to networks like TNT and TBS before it finally found a home on the Paramount Network. It debuted in 2018 and within a few years, became one of the biggest shows in America,
Robert Redford’s Acting Retirement Would Have Killed Yellowstone Early
Redford called it quits in 2018
In the final years of his acting career, Redford became very active, appearing in everything from the (almost) dialogue-free survival drama All Is Lost to appearances in MCU outings like 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Redford announced his acting retirement following 2018’s The Old Man & the Gun, though his last live-action role was a cameo in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. Redford has kept to his retirement vow, though he’s suggested he’s open to a return for the right project.
Of course, had Redford signed on for Yellowstone, he likely would have left after two or three seasons. The Western drama debuted in 2018 – the year he “retired” – and while he may have been convinced by Sheridan to stick around for a couple of years, the star seemed intent on bringing his career to a close during this time. Costner’s exit might be closing Yellowstone earlier than Sheridan or Paramount would have liked, but he at least committed to five very successful series before bowing out.
Kevin Costner Was Always The Best Casting For John Dutton
The Western star made Dutton his own
Redford would have been great as Yellowstone’s John Dutton, though his interpretation and energy would have been very different. The star is almost 20 years older than Costner, so he may have brought a more mellow edge to the part. It would have been fascinating to see what Redford brought to the part, but Costner was ultimately the best choice. He has more Western bonafides to his name and plays the role with both a warmth and a darker edge.
Dutton might be a man of principles with a code of honor, but he has zero problems with committing murder or sabotage to maintain control. His priority is keeping his ranch and land, and he even reluctantly became a politician to help do that. There’s a world-weary, lived-in reality to Costner’s work as Dutton. Had Redford signed up, in all likelihood he would have exited after about three seasons, but the benefit of Costner’s casting is audiences got to see him grow and evolve in the role.
The show’s continued success led to its various offshoots, including the prequel series 1883, which is arguably the best series to come from the even-expanding Yellowstone saga thus far. The series might give the stage to other major characters like Dutton’s children, but Costner’s character is the grounding center of the Western drama.
Will Costner Return For Yellowstone’s Final Episodes?
The actor/director is looking towards the Horizon
Between Costner’s exit and Sheridan suing Yellowstone co-star Cole Hauser over competing coffee brands, things currently appear fraught behind the scenes. Yellowstone Season 5 Part Two is expected to resume production in spring 2024, though reports suggest Costner won’t be involved. The actor also suggested he might be taking legal action against Paramount over money he’s owed for the series, so the odds of Costner making a Yellowstone return are currently bleak.
He’s also focused on his Horizon movies, which is a passion project over 30 years in the making. It would feel strange for Yellowstone to draw to a close without a single appearance by Costner as Dutton, especially since his final scene was a clear tease for the next season. Hopefully, Costner and Sheridan can work out their differences and come to a compromise about the show’s ending, and close out Dutton’s arc with some dignity.