Fans have been captivated by Paramount‘s number one series, Yellowstone, since the premiere episode in June 2018, and each moment with the Dutton family on their beautiful Montana ranch has served to solidify the following idea: Taylor Sheridan wasn’t just crafting a series when he came up with the story of John Dutton — he was piecing together an entire universe.
With two prequels and several spinoffs on the horizon, the Dutton family story is far from over, but there have been some serious question marks regarding the flagship series. Yellowstone‘s future has hung in the balance for months, and it was recently revealed that season five will be its last.
So yes, for those of us who have watched Yellowstone time and time again, know the Dutton family as if they were our own, and who were getting very comfortable at the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch — the news was unsettling. Season five will wrap up the storyline we hoped would never end, and that’s a truth we were hoping never to have to familiarize ourselves with.
Kevin Costner‘s John Dutton is the leading man and patriarch, and when news first broke that he was saying goodbye to the series, within 48 hours an announcement followed that Yellowstone was drawing to a conclusion, too.
The rumor mill has been swirling about the reasons for Costner’s exit, and while his team has stayed mum about what’s been brewing, it’s evident that some significant changes took place. Cole Hauser, who breathes life into everyone’s handsome cowboy Rip, spoke in January about two seasons on the horizon. Hence, a sudden and quick exit isn’t something anyone had on their 2023 bingo card.
Another thing we didn’t have on said card — but that we’re welcoming — is that CBS is starting a season one rewatch on Sept. 17. That’s right, fans who have been waiting for the perfect time to rewatch Yellowstone have it handed right to them, and if you’re not sure how to jump in, or whether you’ve been waiting too long and you feel like there’s no natural way to begin, you can watch one episode at a time on Sunday evenings!
So when is season 5 returning for its epic conclusion, and when it does, what is on the horizon for the characters we love and loathe most?
When will Yellowstone Season 5 return?
While the idea of season 5 being the last is heart-wrenching, there’s still a spot of good news; there’s a second half, which means new episodes will eventually air, though those counting on a summer release shouldn’t hold their breath. What exists instead is the promise of new episodes once some things behind-the-scenes get ironed out, and dedicated fans will wait forever to see what happens next for our favorite television family.
The idea of a summer release isn’t just impacted by the drama in the Yellowverse; the future of the series is in limbo, like much of the entertainment industry right now.
Season 5 last saw Jamie and Beth waging the ultimate war upon one another; one of them must die for the other to continue living. Beth’s future looks bright with Jamie out of the picture and for Jamie — Beth staying alive means he’ll always have skeletons in his closet, ready to fall out. One sibling has the upper hand in the situation, however, and that’s Beth.
As we signed off before the midseason finale, fans saw Beth speaking with John about the train station, Jamie becoming an enemy, and what they would do about it. Needless to say, the stakes have never been higher than they are right now.
So, while fans are willing to wait to see what happens next, the longer it is until we find out, the more storylines fans craft.
Will we experience an extended jump when we return to the ranch? Will a great tragedy have taken place behind the scenes, and we’re seeing our beloved characters deal with it? Will we somehow pick up right where we left off and go through a speedy narrative to finish it out?
While we hope it’s not the latter, we’re crossing our fingers that whatever happens next will pay homage to the story we’ve been told so far and to Costner; we all deserve it. That being said, fans should prepare for a lengthy wait; it seems that a lot will need to be ironed out before the show can return to finish this chapter of the family story.
Initially, a summer release was being promised, and some sources later said we should be expecting new episodes by the end of November, but don’t be surprised if that is further pushed back shortly.
Why is Kevin Costner leaving Yellowstone?
Showrunner Taylor Sheridan recently talked about Costner’s exit with The Hollywood Reporter, and in what he said (and what he didn’t), it’s evident that big things have changed for the men who sit at the heart of the Yellowverse.
Sheridan says that Costner’s exit has to deal with his upcoming film project:
“My last conversation with Kevin was that he had this passion project he wanted to direct. He and the network were arguing about when he could be done with Yellowstone. I said, ‘We can certainly work a schedule toward [his preferred exit date],’ which we did.”
Fans have long felt something else was bubbling beneath the surface, but Sheridan’s public statements and Costner’s have proven that we’ll never be privy to what’s been going on behind the scenes. The relationships that they’ve all formed together aren’t for the public eye anyway, and when things come up that spark a change, it’s not for our consumption.
Most fans dream that the cast, crew, and those working on Yellowstone have a stellar relationship, but the reality is that sometimes people who pour a lot of passion into something together can end up on different sides of the same coin for a while, but we have a feeling that season five’s part two will exist in a way that allows all of us to feel closure, even if we aren’t ready for it.
Costner himself finally spoke out about season five of Yellowstone, and after months of speculation, he shared a little bit about the future of the series and if he has a part in it.
What did Kevin Costner say about season 5, part two of Yellowstone?
Costner’s future with Yellowstone is looking rather bleak, and as the patriarch of the Dutton family, the owner of the ranch, and the man who was on the screen when it all started, it seems very strange to think of a future without him. However, with scheduling conflicts and many behind-the-scenes happenings that fans will never be privy to, it’s a reality we’ve had to come to terms with.
Costner recently spoke in court, as Deadline reports, about season five and how changes took place that changed things up with his schedule for filming:
“Somewhere along the line, they wanted to change things. They wanted to do 5A and 5B; it affected Horizon. I was going to do my movie Horizon and leave that show, do my movie, then do B. A show I was only doing once a year; I was now doing twice.”
Costner also isn’t afraid to take things to a legal level if he needs to. In fact, he said that he’s prepared to go to court over what’s happening with Yellowstone if necessary, but with the strikes ongoing, we have a feeling it’ll be a while until we see a conclusion one way or another.
Where can you watch season 5 of Yellowstone?
For fans who missed even a moment of the first chapter of season five, you’re in luck; you can now buy the DVD set at locations like Target, Walmart, and Amazon. You can get a front-row look at the drama, romance, and fun at the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch at the beginning of their final ride, and it’s certainly been an exciting one.
If you’re not rushing out to find the season on DVD, there’s another option for you. Peacock has all five seasons of Yellowstone available to watch now — with the exception of the second half of season five, of course.
That means you can get caught up on everything you’ve missed, anything you want to watch again, and you can line up to see Rip and Beth fall in love all over again because we all want to experience that you won’t want to miss a second of them. With more action, drama, and sultry romance than before, it’s clear that if this is the final ride we get with some of our favorite characters, it will be exciting.
For fans ready to start Yellowstone from the very beginning, you’re in luck. As we said above, CBS is starting a rewatch for fans, and it’s the perfect time to dive back into the Dutton realm.
Here’s to Yellowstone, the Dutton family, and an epic goodbye — even though we’re still not acknowledging it, thank you very much.