Kevin Costner said he would not return for Yellowstone season 5B or beyond in a fan-directed video posted June 20, 2024. He connected his decision to the demands of making Horizon: An American Saga, while later describing scheduling deadlines as difficult and saying a return would depend on the story and writing. Paramount Network separately said it could not find a filming window that worked for Costner, the cast and production.
What Costner said in his video
In the video, Costner announced: “I just realized that I’m not going to be able to continue season 5B or into the future.” He spoke warmly about the series and its audience, saying, “It was something that really changed me. I loved it and I know you loved it,” and, “I love the relationship we’ve been able to develop, and I’ll see you at the movies.” ABC News reported the announcement and reproduced his remarks.
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Costner also referred to the year and a half he had spent working on Horizon and the demands involved. His video explained his decision in broad terms, but did not lay out the details of negotiations over the series.
Why he said the schedules became difficult
In a June 27, 2024 interview with CBS News, Costner said Yellowstone had been his first priority, but that deadlines and circumstances made it difficult to fit both productions together. He also denied that he had left simply to finish Horizon, and said he had completed his contractual obligations. CBS News published his comments and account of the scheduling challenge.
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Costner said the first chapter of Horizon took 52 shooting days, which he compared with roughly 106 days for Dances with Wolves. Those figures are Costner’s account in the CBS interview, not an independently verified production comparison.
How Paramount Network explained his exit
Paramount Network offered a separate account through a spokesperson quoted by TheWrap: “While we had hoped that we would continue working with him, unfortunately, we could not find a window that worked for him, all the other talent and our production needs in order to move forward together. We respect that Kevin has prioritized his new film series and we wish him the best.” TheWrap reported the network’s statement.
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The two accounts are not proof of a single definitive private cause. Costner discussed Horizon, deadlines and his own priorities; the network described a filming window that would need to work for him, the other cast members and production. Public statements do not establish the full terms of private discussions.
Did Costner leave the door open to returning?
In the CBS interview, Costner said the idea of returning was “wide open” to him, but made that possibility conditional on liking the story and writing: “Can I fall in love with the writing? Can I fall in love with the part to go forward?” That was a statement of willingness in principle, not confirmation that he would return.
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Is Yellowstone season 5B still upcoming?
No. The June 20, 2024 announcement came as the show’s November 2024 return date was being reported. That date is now historical: season five concluded in 2024 as Yellowstone’s final season. The Associated Press reported on the completed season and the series’ conclusion.
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