It was shocking to learn, following months of rumors, that Kevin Costner would not be making a return in Yellowstone season 5, part 2. However, if the actor decides to make a comeback as John Dutton, per a recent report, things could get serious for the show.
Following the conclusion of Yellowstone season 5, part 1, in January 2023, tensions between series creator Taylor Sheridan and Costner emerged amid the SAG-AFTRA contract dispute. After months of conjecture, it was eventually confirmed that the actor, 69, would not be returning for the Yellowstone finale. Now, it seems Costner is going back on his word.
Oddly, Costner has now declared his intention to reprise John Dutton after several months of hinting that he would not return for the last part. But note that this could potentially make or break Yellowstone’s last chapter by putting Sheridan in a tight spot.
Wait, Is Kevin Costner Considering a Comeback in Yellowstone?
The answer to that question is not any more obvious now than it was in the recent past, even with the possible caveat that Kevin Costner may genuinely want to come back to finish John Dutton’s story. According to a report by Puck News, the actor has decided to return for Yellowstone season 5 part 2, with the intention of playing John again for the show’s climactic season.
Filming is set to start in a few weeks, but the scripts for the last batch of episodes have already been finalized. It is unclear from the report whether the creator, Taylor Sheridan, would be open to altering his scripts to give Costner a farewell appearance on the show.
Though Sheridan, 54, seems to have an idea of what the story will look like even with Costner leaving, it is unclear how significant his presence will be in the last episodes. Given that the scripts have already been written, it does not seem feasible for the actor to return for more than a single, brief scene to complete his series arc.
If he makes a cameo return, Yellowstone would still be delayed, with an excessive amount of time elapsing between the current season and the episodes that came before it.
Why Kevin Costner’s Potential Return Could Disrupt the Show’s Balance?
Because John Dutton, played by Kevin Costner, was the heart of the show’s main plot lines, the actor’s abrupt departure from Yellowstone presented an enormous challenge for Taylor Sheridan and the show’s writers. Getting a satisfying conclusion to some of the stories would be extremely difficult without John involved. Although Taylor Sheridan’s new plan for Yellowstone might offer a cunning escape, it will not have the same impact as Costner coming back to complete the series.
The worst that could happen to Yellowstone season 5, part 2 is a Costner cameo or one-off scene. Rather than killing off his character, a cameo can only raise more questions that could take attention away from the main plot.
Costner must provide a full season’s worth of work or face an on-screen death. If the beloved actor were to return for just a fleeting appearance or perhaps a single scene in which he passed away, that would be even more disappointing. It nearly forces the story to focus only on John Dutton, which could be detrimental to the other stories and characters.
Additionally, bringing Costner back would put Sheridan and his growing slate of shows in jeopardy. To be honest, his return would mean that we can no longer have the show without him, which is just untrue at this point. The abundance of spin-offs from Yellowstone proves that the show has always been about the large cast of beloved characters and the great Western drama, not just Costner.
Thus, it would be foolish to make any kind of compromise with other characters’ story arcs in order to allow for an all-too-brief return. For example, Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Rip (Cole Hauser) will finally get the spotlight they deserve, independent of John’s meddling.
Anything less would feel like a half-hearted attempt to cash in on the show’s success while failing to fully respect the story, which has been built around Costner’s character.
Stream Yellowstone on Peacock and Paramount+.
