Kevin Costner has opened up about his decision to leave Yellowstone while the show still has seasons to run.
The actor, who plays the lead role of John Dutton, quit the show last year and last May. It was later confirmed that the Paramount series would be concluding with its fifth season.
Reports at the time claimed that Costner would not return for a future series, having committed to the two-part Western feature Horizon: An American Saga, a film 35 years in the making. In response, creator Taylor Sheridan said he was “disappointed” with the actor’s decision amid rumours that the two couldn’t resolve scheduling conflicts around the making of Horizon.
However, Costner has now opened up about the situation in a detailed interview with Deadline at Cannes where Horizon will premiere as a “two-part event” before being released in two chapters on June 28 and August 16.
Costner claimed the team behind Yellowstone had not been telling the “truth” about his decision to quit the show and disputed claims that Horizon was behind Yellowstone’s demise.
Costner alleged that filming for his movie had been scheduled on his days off from filming the show. “I fit it into the gaps,” he said. “They just kept moving their gaps.”
Costner said Yellowstone was his “first priority” but claimed the production team behind the series were “doing a tap dance”.
He revealed he had a contract to film another three seasons of Yellowstone. “In February, after a two or three month negotiation, they made another contract,” he claimed. “They wanted to redo that one and instead of seasons six and seven, it was five A and five B and maybe we’ll do six.”
He went on to question why the team “didn’t stick up” for him when rumours emerged that he wasn’t available to shoot. “They made the contract and they picked the days,” he claimed.
Costner went on to further claim he left filming for Horizon for a “whole month” in order to shoot the five B season of Yellowstone but when he arrived to do so, he says there was “no script” and “things imploded”.
He explained: “I left exactly when they wanted, and it made it hard on me…I’ve never missed a day of work. I’ve never left before fulfilling my contractual obligations.”
Despite this, Costner said he would return if an offer was on the table.
“I’m very open to coming back,” he continued. “I took a beating over these guys not speaking up for me and allowing crazy stories to come out. I’m not happy about that. But if the writing is there, I will be, too.”
Meanwhile, the Dutton family’s story will continue to be told in two new spin off series.
“Yellowstone has been the cornerstone on which we have launched an entire universe of global hits – from 1883 to Tulsa King,” Chris McCarthy, president & CEO of Showtime and MTV Entertainment Studios, said last year.
“I am confident our Yellowstone sequel will be another big hit, thanks to the brilliant creative mind of Taylor Sheridan and our incredible casts who bring these shows to life.”
David Glasser, CEO of 101 Studios, added: “The Dutton story continues, picking up where Yellowstone leaves off in another epic tale. We are thrilled to bring this new journey to audiences around the world.”
It was also previously reported that Matthew McConaughey would lead a new series featuring several characters from Yellowstone.
The post Kevin Costner reveals why he quit ‘Yellowstone’ with seasons still to go appeared first on NME.
