‘Yellowstone‘ star Kevin Costner has stated that despite his controversial exit, he is willing to reprise his role on the hit show — but on one condition. Costner, who played the character of John Dutton on the show said he would be open to reprising his role only if he feels “really comfortable” with the material presented to him.
His statement may have been unexpected for some of the show’s fans as reports indicated some heavy behind-the-scenes tensions between Costner and the show’s co-creator Taylor Sheridan.
Before the Writers Guild strike last May, co-creator Taylor Sheridan had reportedly completed scripts for the back half of Season 5, and it did not include Costner. However, Costner’s representatives had at the time revealed his desire to return for Season 5B and potentially more.
Negotiations hit a roadblock when Costner put forth his demands for increased compensation, a reduced shooting schedule, and creative input on scripts. Sheridan was not willing to accommodate these demands and just like that, Costner was out of the picture.
Related: ‘1923’: Here’s Everything You Need To Know About The ‘Yellowstone’ Prequel
Kevin Costner Is Optimistic About His Return To ‘Yellowstone’ Despite The Adversities
A few months later, Costner revealed his intention to return for a sixth season of ‘Yellowstone‘ during a child support hearing amid his ongoing divorce in September. However, he highlighted the disagreements he had with the creators over compensation and scheduling conflicts.
Costner noted that the creators “offered me less money than previous seasons,” and that he would need to compromise with his other schedules to accommodate the needs of ‘Yellowstone’, especially because season 5 was split into two parts.
Costner, however, seemed optimistic about the possibility of returning for Season 5B during an interview with Entertainment Tonight at CinemaCon. Asserting his love for the show, he said, “I’d like to be able to do [Season 5B],” Costner said, “but we haven’t been able to….” [He didn’t finish that thought.] “I loved making that series. I made five seasons of it, I thought I was going to make seven, but right now we’re at five. So how it works out — I hope it does — but they’ve got a lot of different shows going on.”
When asked about his vision for John Dutton’s story conclusion, Costner deferred to Sheridan, stating that he has more control over the narrative. “I’ve kind of had my own fantasy how it might be, but that’s Taylor [Sheridan]’s thing. I said as much to him a while back,” Costner answered. “I had thoughts how it could happen, but we just have to see,” he said.
For now, it remains uncertain whether or not Costner returns, but his willingness to reconcile is a ray of hope for the fans.
You might also like to read:
