Kevin Costner will leave Yellowstone after season 5

Kevin Costner in Yellowstone season 5
(Image credit: Paramount)

Yellowstone lead Kevin Costner is reportedly leaving the hit Paramount series after the fifth season.

According to ET (opens in new tab), Costner – who has played the patriarch of the Dutton family throughout the show’s entire run – won’t be returning.

The news comes amid previous reports (via Deadline (opens in new tab) and The New York Post (opens in new tab)) of tension between co-creator Taylor Sheridan and his lead, including that Costner only wanted to film for a week on the second part of Yellowstone season 5 – something denied by his representatives.

"The idea that Kevin was only willing to work one week on the second half of season 5 of Yellowstone is an absolute lie," Costner’s attorney Marty Singer told Puck News (opens in new tab). "It’s ridiculous — and anyone suggesting it shouldn’t be believed for one second."

It’s unclear how Yellowstone – and the Duttons – will proceed from here. A Matthew McConaughey-led show was mooted back in February, while prequel series 1883 and 1923 have launched to great acclaim, attracting A-list talent such as Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford in its lead roles. More spin-offs, including Bass Reeves, 1944, and the present-day series 6666 are also in development.

Yellowstone season 5, meanwhile, will return for six more episodes – though ET’s sources suggest there has been "no update" on when the cast and crew will be back to film the remaining entries. It’s thus far proven a ratings success, with over 9 million people tuning in to watch the premiere back in November.

Discover what else is coming to our screens very soon with our guide to new TV shows.

Bradley Russell

I'm the Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.