βWho loves it more than myself and Taylor [Sheridan]?β the actor said of the Paramount Network series
John Duttonβs fate is on everyoneβs minds β andΒ Kevin CostnerΒ doesnβt exactly have an answer.
On theΒ TodayΒ show on June 17, the actor, 69, addressed his contentious exit fromΒ YellowstoneΒ as he reiterated that the reason behind the move was purely logistical.
βNumber one: I did it for five years, okay, and I wanna work more than once a year. And we lost an entire year, at one point, and I thought, βWell that canβt ever happen again,ββ he toldΒ Savannah Guthrie, adding that βthereβs a chance to do both of them, but material has to be ready at certain times and we werenβt able to do that.β
By βboth of them,β Costner meansΒ his four-part Western epic,Β Horizon: An American Saga, and the Paramount series, on which he stars asΒ the Dutton family patriarch.
βWho loves it more than myself andΒ Taylor [Sheridan]?β Costner continued, referring to the seriesβ creator, with whom heβd reportedly had creative differences.
βIβve supported that thing and I have loved it. Itβs been really important to me. I would love to go back under the right circumstances. I think that all of us want [that],β he said, reiterating that it βneeds to be the right circumstances.β
βThereβs always a chance. I love the thing β youβve gotta be really clear about that.β
Costner has been clear that he madeΒ YellowstoneΒ his βfirst priority,β despite reports stating otherwise, and his lack of involvement in part two of season five β the seriesβ last β was a result of delays in receiving the scripts.
He toldΒ DeadlineΒ that unfinished scripts and scheduling conflicts βshut down one whole season,β delaying the series for over a year, and that led to his exit. The narrative that it was the result of behind-the-scenes tension and creative differences frustrated him.
βI have taken a beating from those fβing guysΒ and I know a lot of times where itβs coming from. I just elected not to get into that,β he said. βI madeΒ YellowstoneΒ the first priority, and to insinuate anything else would be wrong.β
Heβs still open to a potential return to the Dutton ranch, though.
In April, he toldΒ Entertainment TonightΒ thatΒ heβd βlike to be able to [return] but we havenβt been able to,βΒ adding, βI hope it [works out].β
βMaybe this will circle back to me. If it does and I feel really comfortable with [it], Iβd love to do it.β
On May 20,Β production on the final installment of the Western series beganΒ in Montana. The final part of season 5 isΒ slated to return in NovemberΒ after facing delays due to the writersβ strike.
Per a release, the upcoming episodes will see the Dutton family βamid shifting alliances, unsolved murders, open wounds and hard-earned respect,β as the ranch βis in constant conflict with those it borders β an expanding town, an Indian reservation and Americaβs first national park.β