Now that Kevin Costner’s departure from “Yellowstone” is definitely confirmed, what does Taylor Sheridan, the creator of the series, have in store for his character, John Dutton?
It’s now official and fans will have to come to terms with it: Kevin Costner will not be returning for the last episodes of Yellowstone, for the second part of the fifth and final season. On June 20th, the actor announced on his Instagram account that he had permanently hung up his John Dutton stetson.
“This western has truly changed me. I loved it and I know you loved it too,” he tells his followers on social media, “and I just wanted to tell you that I won’t be coming back.” The second part of Yellowstone’s season 5 is finally in production and is set to premiere on November 10th on the Paramount Network in the US (and likely soon after in France on Paramount+).
Given all the upheavals behind the scenes of Yellowstone, which reportedly included scheduling conflicts and script approval requests, Kevin Costner’s departure isn’t exactly surprising at this point. What may be surprising, however, is how co-creator Taylor Sheridan chooses to write off the Dutton family patriarch.
In June 2023, the writer told the Hollywood Reporter: “I don’t do ‘fuck you’ car accidents. Whether [what happens to John] inflates [the actor’s] ego or insults him, it’s collateral damage that I don’t take into account when telling the story.” Here are the potential scenarios for the patriarch’s fate.
- Jamie and Sarah plot to kill John
By the end of season 5’s first part, Jamie (Wes Bentley) – known as the black sheep of the Dutton family – has become so convinced that his twisted sister Beth (Kelly Reilly) is planning to have him killed that he and his scheming girlfriend Sarah (Dawn Olivieri) hatch a plan to get rid of Beth first, and with her, John.
And Sarah has assured Jamie that he doesn’t need to worry about being implicated. Thanks to the professionalism of the company she has hired, “it will look like a heart attack or a car accident.”
- Another enemy tries to take down John
Given John’s knack for making enemies, it’s reasonable to assume that for every Malcolm Beck or Garrett Randall who ends up six feet under, there are a dozen opportunists and ne’er-do-wells who would love nothing more than to “drive him to the station” as they say in Yellowstone jargon, meaning to kill him. Furthermore, as John focuses on the threat posed by Jamie, he’s made himself exceptionally vulnerable to any other attack.
- Duty calls for John
It would be quite tricky to end the final part of season 5 with John still alive and well and never to be seen again. But it’s conceivable. If he spends his time engaged in politics in Helena (the capital of Montana), Beth could handle the dirty work at the ranch. And while it seems unlikely that Kevin Costner would ever guest star in the new Yellowstone spin-off series, leaving the character alive gives us that slim possibility.
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- John’s cancer returns
In season 1, John and his family believed they had defeated cancer by having a part of his colon removed. But while the operation bought him some time, it didn’t necessarily give him unlimited time. If the cancer came back, John could simply choose to isolate himself from his loved ones and spare them the pain of witnessing his final days.
- Natural causes could lead to John’s death
It could also be said that John is a magnet for illnesses, and karma might finally be catching up with him. We recall that in season 2, he suffered terribly from a perforated ulcer and was treated by a kind veterinarian. It wouldn’t be entirely unthinkable that the cumulative effects of all his gunshot wounds, punches, and the like could finally catch up with him and take him down.
- Maybe not a “fuck you” car accident, but…
Accidents happen – and in Yellowstone, they happen frequently. The series began with a car accident that forced John to put down a horse. And fans probably remember the pickup-buffalo collision that caused Monica to lose her baby with Kayce early in season 5. A wolf or some other creature in the wrong place at the wrong time, and the governor could become yet another road casualty…
In short, we’ll have to wait until November to find out for sure!
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My name is Alex Carter, a journalist with a deep passion for independent cinema, alternative music, and contemporary art. A University of California, Berkeley journalism graduate, I’ve honed my expertise through film reviews, artist profiles, and features on emerging cultural trends. My goal is to uncover unique stories, shine a light on underrepresented talents, and explore the impact of art on our society. Follow me on SuperBoxOffice.com for insightful analysis and captivating discoveries from the entertainment world.