Kevin Costner says he won't be returning to 'Yellowstone'

DENVER — After a year and a half of speculation about his involvement, Kevin Costner has officially announced that he will not be returning to "Yellowstone." 

Costner posted a video to social media Thursday night with the caption "an update for you guys." 

"Hi everyone, I just want to reach out after this long year and a half of working on 'Horizon' and doing all the things that's required, and thinking about 'Yellowstone,' that beloved series that I love, that I know you love," Costner said Thursday night.

"I just realize that I'm not going to be able to continue Season 5-B or into the future. It was something that really changed me. I loved it and I know you loved it and I just wanted to let you know that I won't be returning. And I love the relationship that we've been able to develop and I'll see you at the movies."

Paramount announced Thursday morning that the final half of the fifth season of "Yellowstone" will return with new episodes on Nov. 10. The neo-Western drama created by Taylor Sheridan, which has starred Costner as John Dutton since its 2018 debut.

The Paramount Network series last aired a new episode in January 2023 before a hiatus due to the busy schedules of Sheridan and Costner.

An episode count has yet to be announced for the final episodes of the series. Production started on the remainder of the final season in May in Montana.

Costner's involvement in the new "Yellowstone" episodes had been unclear since the fifth season ended last year. Costner is currently making the rounds promoting the first film in his four-movie Western epic "Horizon: An American Saga," which is due out next Friday.

Over the last year and a half, Costner has been busy filming and editing "Horizon," while Sheridan has been busy writing and producing several "Yellowstone" spinoffs and other television series. Their schedules appear to have been too busy to allow for more seasons of the flagship "Yellowstone" series.

Costner had told multiple news outlets while promoting "Horizon" that he was open to returning to "Yellowstone."

"I loved the show," Costner told People this week. "I liked the people on the show. I liked what it was about. I love that world … I’ve always felt that … It might be an interesting moment to come back and finish the mythology of this modern-day family. And if that happens, I would step into it if I agreed with how it was being done."

Costner told The Associated Press last month that he was open to a return to "Yellowstone" to finish John Dutton's story.

"'Yellowstone' was really important in my life. I really loved that world and what we were able to do in five seasons," Costner said. "I only thought it would be one, but did five. I was willing to do three more – five, six and seven – but it just didn't happen.

"Certain things were going on and it just didn't happen. So the idea of going back, I'm open to that idea. But it's based on everything that first three or four were based on, which is the scripts."

Other "Yellowstone" projects in the works include two spinoffs, one of which is a direct sequel titled "2024." Paramount has also announced the prequel series "1944" and a second season of "1923," starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren.

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