Kevin Costner Refused to Take $24M for More Yellowstone Seasons, Eyes Legal Battle Instead
The actor made his first public statement regarding his departure from the show during a recent divorce hearing.
The news that Yellowstone season 5 would be the last for the show's star, Kevin Costner, took many fans of the series by surprise.
Many of them couldn't see how the show would continue without John Dutton, who had been at the center of the story since the first season, and whether it was even worth continuing at this point.
It turned out that they were right, as soon after it was announced that season 5 would be the end not only for Costner's character, but for the entire main series.
Various sources reported that the reason for this was a conflict in the actor's filming schedule, as Costner was only willing to spend 50 days filming the first eight episodes of the fifth season.
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However, the actor's representatives completely denied the allegations, although it remained unclear whether there would be any legal consequences to his departure from the show.
In a recent deposition during his divorce court hearing, Costner stated that he will "probably go to court," making it clear that his apparent feud with the show's creators is unlikely to be resolved peacefully.
The actor also revealed that he was offered $24 million to finish season 5 and do two more seasons of the series, but creative disputes between Costner and the show's creator, Taylor Sheridan, and producers led to negotiations being unsuccessful.
Fans are devastated to hear that at least seasons 6 and 7 of Yellowstone were actually planned. It could mean that the story of the Dutton family will never have a proper conclusion – at least not in the way it should have been from the start.
Others point out that the Yellowstone universe has long since outgrown the main series, and Sheridan's decision to continue it with spin-offs was the only logical one.
For many of them, the later seasons of the main series pale in comparison to the much more compelling spin-offs, so its cancellation was only a matter of time.
It is still unclear whether Costner is actually determined to file a lawsuit against the creators of Yellowstone, as they have not commented on the actor's statement.
Yellowstone season 5 part 2 will be released in November 2023, although a specific date has not yet been announced.