How Yellowstone Talked Kevin Costner's Exit in the Season 5B Premiere

Yellowstone finally returned in season 5B after a nearly two-year hiatus — and fans finally learned the ending Kevin CostnerJohn Dutton's character.

Yellowstone spoilers ahead.

Of Yellowstone In the season 5B premiere on Sunday, November 10, John Dutton met his unexpected end. Although law enforcement initially believed she had died by suicide, the episode appears to suggest Sara Atwood (Dawn Olivieri) was the cause of his murder. At the end of the episode, he informs Jamie (Wes Bentley) that he was actually involved.

When the first half of season 5 ended in January 2023, John had become the governor of Montana, much to the dismay of his son Jamie, who was trying to have him impeached. At the end of episode 8, John and his daughter, Beth (Kelly Reilly), they decide it's time to take Jamie to the train station – that is, kill him.

Costner, 69, officially confirmed his Yellowstone came out in June after months of speculation about his future with the show. The first half of season 5 ended in January 2023 and the second half will premiere in November of that year, but one month after the finale of 5A aired, reports circulated that Costner was involved in the production due to disagreements with the cocreator. Taylor Sheridan.

While Sheridan, 54, and Costner both denied the rumors, Paramount Network confirmed in May 2023 that Yellowstone will end forever at the end of season 5. The network also announced the then-rumored series to air. Matthew McConaughey. That series seems to be becoming regular Madisonspinoff to star Michelle Pfeiffer, Matthew Fox again Patrick J. Adams.

Costner, on the other hand, has shifted his focus to the big screen, directing and acting Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1which premiered in June. Chapter 2 it was originally scheduled to hit theaters in August, but the release date was pushed back after disappointing box office sales Chapter 1.

Forward The horizonAfter his release, Costner broke his silence about what was going on behind the scenes, saying he was going to film more episodes of Yellowstone if the documents were ready.

“I gave them my 25 days on this B thing in November and December [2022]. What they call 5B. The whole month of March [2023],” said the Oscar winner Deadline in May. “I didn't shoot 5B. There was no script. Then things changed. “

According to Costner, he left the set of The horizon in the movie season 5B, but he suspected that there were no scripts for the final episodes yet.

“I left when they wanted me, it made it difficult for me. Turns out they didn't have the 5B documents. They need four more days to finish the first eight episodes,” he said. “I quickly went to give them what they needed to get eight, and I was sad that the listeners didn't get 10.”

Production on the show was also delayed by two WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes last year, which ended in September 2023 and November 2023, respectively.

Related: Yellowstone's Taylor Sheridan 'Disappointed' by Kevin Costner's exit

Yellowstone boss Taylor Sheridan has finally broken her silence about her falling out with Kevin Costner – and the writer says they're on good terms. According to Sheridan, 53, Costner, 68, was ready to end his time as John Dutton because he wanted to work on his upcoming western epic, Horizon. “My last one […]

Sheridan, on the other hand, hasn't always kept quiet about the whole situation, but he revealed in June 2023 that he didn't intend for John Dutton to survive the series finale – but he also wasn't going to kill off the character to get revenge for any off-screen drama.

“I don't 'f— you' car crashes,” Sheridan said The Hollywood Reporter at that time. “Anything else [Dutton’s fate] it swells [Costner’s] Self-conceit or insults are the harm I do not hold in relation to telling a story.”

Yellowstone airs on Paramount Network Sundays at 8pm ET.