Highlights

• Kevin Costner left 'Yellowstone' despite plans for multiple seasons, citing conflict with production executives.
• He felt misrepresented by media coverage and expressed disappointment in the negative end to the show.
• Costner defended his prioritization of 'Yellowstone' and criticized executives for not supporting him during negotiations.

Kevin Costner disappointed Yellowstone fans when he walked away from the hit show, despite making a small fortune per episode. Though the actor has expressed a desire to come back and help conclude the series, things have been left up in the air, prompting Costner to have some choice words for the executives in charge of the production.

Costner Is Upset With How 'Yellowstone' Is Ending

It was officially confirmed last year Kevin wouldn’t be returning to the show, and it's ending with season five (debuting later this year), leading to speculation about the actor’s supposed feud with the creator, Tyler Sheridan.

Opening up in a new interview, Kevin admits he hasn’t “felt good” about the media coverage Yellowstone has received recently, wishing the series had ended on a more positive note. "The way they’ve talked about it. It wasn’t truthful," he said referring to the alleged conflict. "So now I’m talking about a little bit about what the real truth of it was."

Costner elaborated on his contractual arrangement, revealing that initially, he was slated for seasons five, six, and seven of Yellowstone. However, following several months of negotiations, a revised contract was formulated. This new agreement outlined a departure from the original plan of seven distinct seasons, instead proposing a split into Season 5A and Season 5B. Moreover, it introduced the possibility of returning for a sixth season.

"They weren’t able to make those. Horizon was set in the middle, but Yellowstone was first position. I fit [Horizon] into the gaps," Kevin said, referring to his new movie. "They just kept moving their gaps."

"I don’t want to get down in the gutter with the Yellowstone thing but what I’m telling you is straight up," the award-winning actor continued. "I have taken a beating from those f------ guys and I know a lot of times where it’s coming from. I just elected not to get into that."

Why Costner Won't Be In Yellowstone's Final Season

"If you know me well enough, I made Yellowstone the first priority, and to insinuate anything else would be wrong," Kevin went on. "I did not initiate any of those things. They did. They were doing a tap dance and this poor guy was also having to write so much. And I don’t know why they didn’t stick up for me."

Costner's involvement in Yellowstone has been a defining chapter in his career. The show follows the conflicts surrounding the Dutton family, who control the largest contiguous ranch in the United States. Costner portrays John Dutton, the patriarch of the family, who faces myriad challenges as he seeks to protect his land and legacy from various threats.

Kevin began with the show in 2018 when the show premiered on the Paramount Network. His portrayal of John Dutton has earned widespread acclaim. Notably, he won the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series in 2019 for his role as John Dutton. All this to be said, it’s understandable why Costner (and the fans) are disappointed with his exclusion from the show's ending.