Why Costner’s Official Exit From ‘Yellowstone’ is the Ideal Outcome For Paramount+
Well, it’s official (we think). Entertainment Tonight has confirmed via sources close to the production of the show that “Yellowstone” lead actor Kevin Costner is exiting the series after the conclusion of its current fifth season. The news puts an end to months of speculation regarding Costner’s status on the production.
All reports indicate that as of now, Costner will return to shoot the final episodes of this season before departing the series. But once those episodes are done, so is Costner, and in all likelihood “Yellowstone” itself will end as well. However, there’s no word on when the show will resume production; its original shooting schedule would have had new episodes ready for air on Paramount Network starting sometime this summer, but with the issues between Costner and the creative team — not to mention the Hollywood writers’ strike that began on May 1 — there’s essentially no chance of that happening.
Reports of a schism between Costner and “Yellowstone” co-creator Taylor Sheridan first began circulating in February. Both sides have blamed the other in the dispute, with Costner’s representatives stating that Sheridan has overburdened himself and scripts aren’t ready to go, and Sheridan’s side claiming Costner has demanded an unrealistic shooting schedule.
Related: With Writers’ Strike Now Official, What Will Happen With ‘Yellowstone’ Season 5? Where Can You Binge the Show Now?
Wherever the truth in the anger between Sheridan and Costner resides, it appears Paramount has a solution already in hand. Sheridan has been working on a new series set in the Dutton universe titled “6666,” which will feature a ranch in Texas operated by yet another branch of the Dutton clan. In addition to this show, Paramount has greenlit a new “Yellowstone” spinoff starring Matthew McConaughey, which will be exclusively available on Paramount+.
That’s why the news of Costner’s exit might just be the best outcome from Paramount’s perspective. While there has been no confirmation that the original “Yellowstone” series will end following Season 5, if it does, it will no doubt be a blow to the company, considering the show’s consistently high ratings and broad appeal. But it finally allows Paramount to rectify what even company executives have identified as a costly mistake: the licensing of the show’s streaming rights to NBCUniversal’s streaming platform Peacock.
That move was made before Paramount had a major presence in the streaming game, and it has rankled the company ever since it launched Paramount+’s predecessor CBS All Access in 2021. Considering how popular Sheridan’s content is on Paramount+, that’s not surprising; a recent report showed that 24% of people who watched Paramount+ in the second half of 2022 were using the service to see a Sheridan-created show.
Additionally, Paramount has already moved “6666” from its originally intended home of Paramount+ to the Paramount Network and there’s no reason it couldn’t do the same for McConaughey’s series as well, effectively filling in the gap left by the end of the original. This way, Paramount Global would be able to maintain as much of the “Yellowstone” cable audience as possible, while also owning all of the streaming right as well.
Between titles like “1923,” “Tulsa King,” Mayor of Kingstown,” and the two planned “Yellowstone” spinoffs, Paramount+ should be thrilled with its Sheridan slate going forward. What will really make company executives smile, however, is the fact that they’ll no longer have to share “Yellowstone“‘s success with NBCU or Peacock once the last episode of Season 5 finally airs.
Paramount Plus
Paramount+ is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 40,000+ TV show episodes from BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr. and more. The lineup includes “1883,” “Tulsa King,” “Star Trek: Discovery,” Nickelodeon’s “SpongeBob SquarePants,” and “PAW Patrol.” Subscribers can watch the NFL, college football, The Masters, college basketball, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa, Serie A, and NWSL. The service also offers the option to watch your live CBS affiliate. The upgraded ad-free package includes premium movies and shows from Showtime.