Kevin Costner Left ‘Yellowstone’ After 5 Seasons: Here’s Why

One of the most popular series on Netflix in recent years is Yellowstone. It stars Kevin Costner in the role of John Dutton, who is a rancher fighting to protect his land located in Montana.

Yellowstone has been around since 2018 and Costner has been a constant part of it for the 53 episodes since then. Something interesting happened recently, however, and he decided that he wouldn’t be returning for the second half of season five.

Before season 5B got started on November 10, 2024, Costner was asked how he would describe his character, especially since he wasn’t in the trailer. He said: “His presence is integral. I think to say any more than that would potentially compromise all the work that went into redacting the scripts!

“But I think the reason people are wondering, ‘Is he, isn’t he? Where is he, where is he not?’ is because he is the patriarch, and his presence is an essential component to the story. John Dutton is still central.”

Over the years, a considerable amount of work has gone into building the roles in the show. When director Christina Voros was asked if the scripts were kept private because Costner was exiting, she said that it was part of it, but also there was a significant and unexpected conclusion involved.

She said: “The cast this year, after seven years of shooting this show, has grown into these roles so deeply that the performances are really next level.”

She also spoke about the actors, and they have invested a lot of time into building the roles. She said: “The performances this year are just exceptional.”