Despite being able to continue after his departure, Taylor Sheridan yellow stone the ending proves that Kevin Costner still has the last laugh. Playing the Dutton family patriarch John III, the veteran actor was at the forefront of the neo-Western hit on Paramount+. yellow stone is technically an ensemble, with compelling stories for Beth, Kayce, and Jamie, as well as the rest of the ranch. However, It was clear from the start that Costner would be its facewhich made sense considering his star power. That was until he left the project after a long hiatus.
Costner's departure from yellow stone It was for several reasons. Neither party involved has sat down and talked much about it, but according to reports, one of the main reasons for the actor's decision to leave the show is creative friction with Sheridan. At one point during the show's extended intermission, there were hopes that a compromise would be reached, but that did not happen. Ultimately, Sheridan found a way to explain his main star's absence, starting yellow stone Season 5, part 2 with the murder of João III.
Yellowstone was forced to end because of Kevin Costner's departure
Sheridan had already long ago decided on the end of Yellowstone
John's murder began the final stories of the rest of the Duttons. Considering Costner leaving permanently yellow stoneSheridan really had no choice but to give his character a final farewell. As later revealed, however, John's death was always going to be a precursor to the show's ending. Sheridan had already long ago decided how the story of the Dutton ranch would end, and Costner's departure only accelerated it. yellow stoneis fired. This means that if the actor had chosen to remain with the series, the neo-Western success would likely have continued.
That said, John's funeral taking up significant time at the end of Yellowstone shows that the narrative lives and dies with Costner and his character.
Paramount+ and Sheridan going beyond Season 5 isn't hard to imagine considering how popular yellow stone continues to be. This is evidenced by the upcoming Beth and Rip sequel, which is essentially a continuation of the main series, only this time it's more focused on them. Admittedly, due to the limited remaining episodes, the Dutton patriarch's death was not explored as much as possible. That being said, John's funeral taking up significant screen time in the yellow stone the ending shows that the narrative lives and dies with Costner and his character.
Why Yellowstone Couldn't Continue Longer After Kevin Costner's Exit
João III's children led separate lives
When yellow stone Season 5, part 2 is back, with just 6 episodes left to tie up all the remaining stories for a satisfying ending. It felt rushed at times, but doing another full season of the series without John III didn't feel like the right decision either. Without the Dutton family patriarch, the core of the show is lost. All of John III's children lived quite separate lives. It's true that Beth and Jamie had a collective arc, but it was contradictory.
João III and the state of the farm were often the only things that united them. That's not to say that Beth, Kayce, and Jamie's respective narratives aren't interesting. They all had compelling stories throughout yellow stone. It's just hard to connect them again without the only thing that unites them.