The Dutton family drama may not be over in season five.
Despite Paramount+ previously announcing the end of Taylor Sheridan’s hit series Yellowstone, Term confirmed that “negotiations are underway for a sixth season.”
While sources stress that the deal is still uncertain, upcoming episodes are said to focus on Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser, who play Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler, following Kevin Costner’s dramatic departure from the neo-Western drama.
This comes after the TV couple were reportedly in talks to appear on the Yellowstone spin-off The Madison, starring Michelle Pfeiffer.
In April, when asked about the possibility of a sixth season, Reilly told RadioTimes: “I just want to finish my series [Yellowstone] with as much care and as much passion and as much love as I can muster to put into it… I’m kind of preparing for it now, [and] That’s my tunnel vision of what I care about most.’
“And what happens after that? There are discussions, you know. Don’t believe everything you read. It’s just nonsense,” she continued.
Despite Paramount+ previously announcing the end of Taylor Sheridan’s hit series Yellowstone, Deadline confirmed that “negotiations are underway for a sixth season”
5B, set to premiere on November 10, was originally announced as the final installment of Yellowstone.
In June, Costner confirmed that he was done with Yellowstone for good.
The 69-year-old actor told his followers on Instagram that he would not be returning to appear in season 5B.
“Hi, everybody. I just wanted to let you know that after this long year and a half of working on Horizon and doing all the things that are necessary, and thinking about Yellowstone — that beloved show that I love, that I know you love — I just realized that I can’t go forward with Season 5b or the future,” Costner announced somberly, looking into the camera.
Earlier reports indicated that Costner had likely exited the series for good, due to conflicts between himself and the producers over salary, his schedule and his availability to film his multi-part western epic Horizon: An American Saga.
Fans still held out hope that he would return to find a fitting ending for his patriarch John Dutton III, but his new video appears to have dashed those hopes for good.
“It was something that really changed me,” Costner said of the Paramount Network series.
“I loved it, and I know you loved it,” he repeated. “I just wanted to let you know that I’m not coming back.”
While sources stressed that the deal is still up in the air, upcoming episodes would focus on Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser, who play Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler, following Kevin Costner’s dramatic departure from the neo-Western drama
The actor and director concluded his story with what was likely an appeal to his fans to go see his upcoming Horizon films.
“I’m happy with the relationship we’ve been able to build, and I look forward to seeing you at the movies,” he said with a slight smile on his lips.
The announcement means Costner’s final episodes were for season 5A, which aired from November 2022 to January 2023.
His character, the patriarch of the Dutton family, managed the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, a fictional ranch that was the largest in Montana.
It bordered Yellowstone National Park and the Broken Rock Indian Reservation, which often put wealthy families at odds with their Native American neighbors and with greedy developers who wanted to grab their land.
The soap opera is particularly popular among fans who support its so-called anti-woke politics, although the series is often critical of the main family, who have murdered several people to secure their land and fortune.
In June, Costner confirmed that he was done with Yellowstone for good
His character, John Dutton III, ran the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, the largest in Montana. It bordered Yellowstone National Park and the Broken Rock Indian Reservation, often bringing the wealthy family into conflict with Native American neighbors and greedy developers.
Before Costner ruled out the possibility of returning for season 5B, he clashed with producers, reportedly wanting to cut back on the season’s filming days to make room for Horizon to be filmed.
Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter One was released in theaters on June 28.
The sequel will be released on September 7, 2024.
He has already begun filming Chapter Three and has already indicated that he plans to film Chapter Four simultaneously.
Costner has denied reports about the nature of his disagreements on Yellowstone, complaining that the show’s producers refused to defend him when reports emerged that he disagreed with.
The actor also denies that his issues with the series are related to his Horizon filming schedule.
This comes after news broke that Reilly and Hauser were reportedly in talks to join the Yellowstone spin-off The Madison
Before Costner ruled out the possibility of returning for season 5B, he clashed with producers, reportedly wanting fewer filming days for the season to make room for the filming of Horizon
He said he was ready to return to film season 5B, but scripts for the second half of the season reportedly weren’t written in time.
Some fans and critics have pointed the finger at showrunner and co-creator Taylor Sheridan, who has written all of the series’ scripts since season three.
He is also the showrunner, writer and director of multiple Yellowstone spinoffs, as well as several other series he has created for Paramount and its streaming service Paramount+. As a result, some have alleged that he bit off more than he could chew, reportedly failing to deliver scripts in time for Costner to film the second half of season five.
Sheridan denies that he is too busy with his multiple shows and other projects.
Costner also had to deal with the added annoyance of having to divorce his wife Christine Baumgartner. During that period, the two fought in court over their prenuptial agreement and the financial support she demanded.