Will ‘Yellowstone’ Season 5 Really Return to Paramount Network This Summer?
Things have been pretty quiet on the Dutton Ranch of late. Ever since New Year’s Day, when “Yellowstone’s” Season 5 midseason finale aired on Paramount Network, all fans have heard regarding the series has been details about its possible demise, and future spinoffs on Paramount+ that don’t feature current star Kevin Costner.
Paramount initially promised that the second half of Season 5 would begin airing sometime this summer, though it declined to give a firm date. But as of April 1, the cast had not yet started filming new episodes, or been given a start date for production, according to Variety writer Emily Longeretta.
Considering it usually takes several weeks at minimum to film, edit and add special effects to a TV episode, that information certainly makes it seem like Paramount won’t be able to start airing episodes by early summer. The company technically has until the middle of September to make good on its word to bring episodes to air during the summer months, but the fact that none of the cast has been alerted to when they’ll resume working is eyebrow-raising.
A looming writers’ strike could muddy the waters even further. Scripts for the final episodes of Season 5 of “Yellowstone” are very likely already written, but what if Costner disappears and rewrites are needed? What if the strike begins and the Screen Actors Guild stands in solidarity with the Writer’s Guild of America? Such a disruption would make it even less likely that the second half of the current “Yellowstone” season will air as promised.
Then there’s the Costner of it all. Ever since February, reports of Costner’s shooting schedule demands and diva-like behavior have been circulating across the entertainment landscape. If the lead actor is the reason for the ongoing production delays, it would help to explain why Paramount executives are seemingly so eager to be done with the show, and to move on with other series set in the Dutton universe by “Yellowstone” co-creator Taylor Sheridan.
As stated above, Paramount still has some time to make good on its promise of delivering the second part of “Yellowstone” Season 5 during the summer, but the sands of time are running quickly, and things need to get moving soon if the company is serious about delivering new episodes of the most popular series on TV.
In the meantime, those who want to rewatch the seasons (or see them for the first time) will have extra time. All episodes are available on Philo and Fubo, while Peacock only has seasons 1 through 4.
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.
Philo
Philo is a live TV streaming service designed for entertainment lovers which includes 60+ channels for $25 per month. It’s an especially attractive option for fans of live TV who don’t watch sports.