Amid reports that Yellowstone has been canceled, fans are curious about the off-screen drama involving the show’s biggest star.
In case you weren’t aware, this appears to be a rough time in Kevin Costner’s personal life.
Last year, he was served with divorce papers by Christine Baumgartner, his wife of 18 years.
Shortly thereafter, it was confirmed that the veteran star was going through a split in his professional life, as well.
In May of 2023, Paramount announced that Yellowstone would end its five-year run.
Now, with the show’s (allegedly) final slate of episodes less than a week away, fans have a lot of questions.
Is the series still coming to an end, as planned? Are the reports of Costner’s diva-like behavior accurate?
The Costner Factor
At one point, Yellowstone was the most popular show on television. And yet numerous reports claimed that Costner had been clashing with creator Taylor Sheridan over just how many days he wanted to work.
A rep for Costner denied that his client was refusing to remain on set for more than a week at a time, attempting to shoot down the speculation as follows:
“The idea that Kevin was only willing to work one week on the second half of season 5 of Yellowstone is an absolute lie,” this statement read.
“It’s ridiculous — and anyone suggesting it shouldn’t be believed for one second.
“As everyone who knows anything about Kevin is well aware, he is incredibly passionate about the show and has always gone way above and beyond to ensure its success.”
We don’t know for certain if the Costner controversy led to the cancelation of Yellowstone, but Chris McCarthy, president and CEO Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios, said at the time:
“Yellowstone has been the cornerstone on which we have launched an entire universe of global hits — from 1883 to Tulsa King.
“I am confident our Yellowstone sequel will be another big hit, thanks to the brilliant creative mind of Taylor Sheridan and our incredible casts who bring these shows to life.”
The Spinoff Speculation
Previously, we had heard that a forthcoming Yellowstone sequel will feature Matthew McConaughy in the lead role.
But that project appears to be dead in the water.
However, another Yellowstone spinoff — The Madison, starring Michelle Pfeiffer — is now in production.
It’s expected to premiere sometime in late 2025.
Costner has starred as patriarch John Dutton III since Yellowstone debuted in June 2018.
Now, however, it looks as though Costner will not appear in Yellowstone Season 5B, which premieres on Sunday.
Yellowstone already has a slew of prequel and spinoff series, including 1883, 1923, and the aforementioned The Madison.
It’s been rumored that Paramount might “uncancel” Yellowstone and bring the show back for a sixth season … without Costner.
But that has yet to be confirmed.
The original drama tells the story of the Dutton family, who have owned and operated America’s largest ranch for six generations.
Viewers have been shown how turmoil and local enemies threaten the ranch’s success. Moreover, the personal lives of the Dutton brood have also been explored at length.
And these days, the drama off-camera is enough to rival anything that happens on the ranch.