Of all the most famous currently airing television shows, Yellowstone undeniably holds a special place in the list. With Kevin Costner in the center playing the imposing and serious yet highly respected John Dutton, the series has been gaining remarkable appreciation from audiences worldwide.
However, after five years of carrying it, Costner has now admitted to finally leaving the show because of numerous reasons – one of them being the fact that the producers disrespected him even though it was mostly his efforts combined with the rest of the stars that made Yellowstone such a spectacular masterpiece.
Kevin Costner Decided To Quit Yellowstone For A Heartbreaking Reason
Everybody loved Kevin Costner for his epic John Dutton portrayal in Yellowstone – that was until he decided to leave. As reported by People, the Robin Hood star shared during a child support hearing how he underwent a “long, hard-fought negotiation” before taking the decision to call it quits.
He claimed that “no scripts written” were there for the second half of season five and that “they still hadn’t finished” season five’s first part at the time. It was also decided that Costner was to be paid $12 million for each part of the fifth season. Further claiming that he wanted to return for the sixth season as well, he said,
“I couldn’t help them anymore. We tried to negotiate, they offered me less money than previous seasons, there were issues with the creative… [Costner told his representatives] Have them pay me whatever number, we came up with a number [Costner believed the number was $12 million], and they [Yellowstone] walked away. I’ve been told it’s a little disappointing that [it’s] the #1 show on TV, I’m not participating.”
Another reason behind his leaving was that he wanted to focus more on his Western four-part movie series Horizon: An American Saga and that he “changed” his schedule just to fit in the first part of season five of Yellowstone‘s shoot, calling it “a big deal in this world.”
Furthermore, when he was asked if his payout for Yellowstone Season 5 Part Two has been confirmed and if he will receive it, Costner said,
“I will probably go to court over it.”
Nonetheless, discussions regarding getting Kevin Costner to shoot some scenes to wrap up his character are still underway, even though the scripts are still incomplete.
Taylor Sheridan’s Take On Kevin Costner’s Exit From Yellowstone
While Kevin Costner feels he was disrespected by producers following the payout issue, Yellowstone director Taylor Sheridan had a slightly different view on the matter. Though he still admires Costner for his acting, he told The Hollywood Reporter that the show’s producers weren’t the only ones to be blamed for the John Dutton portrayer’s sudden exit.
“My opinion of Kevin as an actor hasn’t altered,” Sheridan said. “His creation of John Dutton is symbolic and powerful … and I’ve never had an issue with Kevin that he and I couldn’t work out on the phone. But once lawyers get involved, then people don’t get to talk to each other and start saying things that aren’t true and attempt to shift blame based on how the press or public seem to be reacting.”
Continuing, he said,
“He took a lot of this on the chin and I don’t know that anyone deserves it. His movie seems to be a great priority to him and he wants to shift focus. I sure hope [the movie is] worth it — and that it’s a good one.”
Lastly, he expressed his disappointment at how Costner’s leaving the show ‘truncates’ the closure of his character.
“I’m disappointed,” Sheridan said. “It truncates the closure of his character. It doesn’t alter it, but it truncates it.”
Although Kevin Costner really is leaving his superhit show and beloved character behind, Taylor Sheridan isn’t willing to let Yellowstone go just yet. That being said, Matthew McConaughey is reportedly in negotiations for a spin-off of the series that will bring about a new chapter in the saga. Though this time, fans aren’t too sure if it’s gonna be as good as before.
Source: People | The Hollywood Reporter
