Paramount’s Yellowstone, which debuted in 2018, quickly rose to the most incredible heights of television infamy, earning itself the title of everyone’s favorite cowboy drama. The series, which highlights the Dutton family, has a few things at its core: power, love, and drama.
Kevin Costner leads the charge in the Dutton family as patriarch John, and the storyline indeed revolves around his family and ranch, but it’s centered on everything he is as a ranch owner, governor, widower, and father. Costner’s talent of crafting a layered character in John has given fans someone to adore and root for; he’s not the only one.
Everyone who breathes life into a character at the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch brings power and passion to the stories they’re creating and the profound bonds fans have built with them. They’re constantly building new avenues in which we can root for or against their characters and unique experiences for fans to embrace alongside their own friends and loved ones. Yellowstone isn’t just a series, but a cultural phenomenon, and an important one at that.
With a whirlwind of rumors hitting the Yellowstone realm this spring and the highly anticipated second half of season five somehow turning into a phrase of which we do not speak, we’re looking back at some of the most significant wow moments in the history of the Dutton drama so far, both on and off-screen.
Kevin Costner likely won’t be joining season six of Yellowstone
Costner’s future with Yellowstone has been a heavily debated topic of conversation over the course of the last few months. When rumors began swirling, no one knew their source, but Costner’s agent immediately put out a statement saying that anything regarding his attitude or a timing dispute, he was quick to shut them down.
So when Entertainment Tonight shared on May 3 that trusted sources revealed that Costner would be hanging up the mantle of John Dutton after this season of Yellowstone, we were crossing our fingers that his agent would soon make another statement. For now, we’re still waiting on bated breath.
If ET is correct, and Costner plans to leave soon, things will change significantly for the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, and we’re certainly not ready to say that goodbye.
Kevin Costner’s wife files for divorce
On May 2, news broke that Costner’s wife was filing for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. TMZ first reported the information, and it was followed up by several major publications moments soon after. Costner and Christine Baumgartner had been married for almost 20 years, and the news shocked fans everywhere.
Costner’s representative shared the following statement with PEOPLE:
“It is with great sadness that circumstances beyond his control have transpired which have resulted in Mr. Costner having to participate in a dissolution of marriage action.”
While neither Costner nor Baumgartner have made a public statement of their own, his estranged wife was seen running errands sans a wedding ring on Wednesday.
Yellowstone stars speak out about recent rumors
Some Yellowstone cast members have spoken out about the rumor mill that’s been spinning regarding their series, and many of them feel that Costner has yet to see his last sunset at the Yellowstone.
Wes Bentley spoke out and said that he was sure things were getting blown out of proportion, while Piper Perabo said she agreed that a premature end didn’t make sense for this leg of their journey. Lainey Wilson recently said that Yellowstone had made her realize that the television realm is crazier than the music business, but they all agreed that they aren’t ready to see Costner hang up his cowboy hat just yet.
We’ve yet to hear from the rest of the cast and crew, but as we said before, we have a feeling things aren’t over.
PaleyFest no-shows and the cast members who helped save the day
Upon arriving at the festival, it was less than an hour before panel time that they were told things had changed significantly. Before we continue, fans were thrilled for the stars who showed up and carried the panel in a way that allowed them to have a fantastic experience, but it wasn’t what they were promised.
Not a single originally-listed cast member appeared, instead, Mo Brings Plenty, Dawn Olivieri, Josh Lucas, and Wendy Moniz were the celebs in appearance. They gave an amazing panel, answering questions and speaking about their experience on Yellowstone. It’s a nod to their passion and dedication that they were able to carry the extra weight on their shoulders.
With no forewarning given, fans were rightfully upset about the fact that PaleyFest likely knew for some time that things were changing. Just last week, Kelly Reilly revealed that they were aware of at least one notable absence, hers.
She announced in an Instagram comment that she told them in January that she wouldn’t be able to make it due to scheduling conflicts, and they never removed her from the docket. With no one else from the cast speaking out yet, fans wonder if the same thing happened with several other celebrities.
Season five rumors — could Yellowstone be ending?
Back to those rumors; when an entertainment news site first shared that Yellowstone would be coming to an end and that Costner and showrunner Taylor Sheridan were to blame, fans weren’t sure what to think.
We mentioned a statement from Costner’s agent above, and this is what Marty Singer told Puck News regarding the first round of rumors that spread this year.
“The idea that Kevin was only willing to work one week on the second half of Season 5 of Yellowstone is an absolute lie. It’s ridiculous — and anyone suggesting it shouldn’t be believed for one second. As everyone who knows anything about Kevin is well aware, he is incredibly passionate about the show and has always gone way above and beyond to ensure its success.”
During the weeks that followed, more instances of “rumors” would hit the news cycle, but a reliable source ever confirmed anything. What was insinuated by these endless rumors is that something was going on with the forward progress of the series. Fans were expecting the cast and crew to be filming in Montana by now, and they’ve yet to begin the process; instead, some stars are filming other projects and filling their time with other things at the moment.
There are different sides to the matter at the heart of the rumor cycle, and many report that whatever is happening relates to Costner and Sheridan. Some sources say Sheridan is to blame, while others put the weight on Costner’s shoulders. No matter what is genuinely happening, with a writers’ strike currently underway and no movement in the Yellowverse, some fans hope this window of time gives anyone who needs it the opportunity to cool down and think about the future of the series and its fans.
That season five cliffhanger
Of course, we can’t talk about season five drama without mentioning the cliffhanger at the end of the episode. Beth and Jamie were having one of their trademark fights, and we all know how intense those can get when Jamie broke a big family secret — he told Beth about the train station.
Now, you might wonder how she didn’t already know, but the thing is, she was aware that her family had to rid themselves of enemies, but she wasn’t sure what the blueprint for the whole situation really was. To find out from her brother was a huge betrayal, but it was also compelling enough to help her move forward in a significant way.
She immediately went to see her father and told him she knew where their enemies go; she then said she thought that’s where Jamie needed to go. As they’re talking, we see Jamie talking too, and he’s saying something very similar to his new love interest this season. For Jamie to continue living, Beth simply couldn’t.
As we pan back to Beth, fans wait to hear what John says about the idea of his son needing to perish for the longevity of their family, but we hear nothing. What we do get, however, is the look of a broken man. John has opened up in a vulnerable way this season, and that’s another reason we’re not ready to let him go just yet.
Yellowstone took pause at perhaps the most significant crossroads of his life, and it looks like we’ll be waiting for a long time to find out what comes next.
So season five might have dealt a hand of drama to fans on screen, but things are certainly heating up behind the scenes, too. Here’s hoping we all get back to the ranch real soon; there’s a big battle to fight here, and we’re waiting to see which sibling will win.