It’s official — Kevin Costner is not returning to “Yellowstone.”
The Oscar-winning actor, 69, took On Instagram on Thursday to break the news to fans after much speculation ahead of the second half of the show’s 5th season.
Costner revealed that he had shifted his focus to production His western film “Horizon: An American Saga” In a video shared with her 1.5 million followers on the platform.
“I want to let you know that after this long year and a half of working at Horizon, I’m doing all the necessary things,” he said in the clip.
“Thinking about Yellowstone, that beloved series that I love, and I know you do. I realized that I couldn’t continue for a fifth season or the future.
Costner said the hit Paramount series, which recently began production on the second half of its fifth and final season, was “something that really changed me.”
“I loved it and I know you loved it. I just wanted to let you know I’m not coming back,” he shared. “I love the relationships I’ve been able to develop. I see you in the movies.
The Post has reached out to Paramount for comment.
Costner played rancher John Dutton on “Yellowstone” for four and a half seasons before leaving the series.
The actor’s tenure on the hit show was thrown into doubt in May 2023 when news broke that Costner would not be returning to “Yellowstone” after Season 5.
That same month, it was announced that the show would end with season 5, leading to speculation that the show was ending in part due to Costner’s departure.
The news sparked speculation that Costner refused to be on set for more than a week filming the second half of Season 5, which the actor’s lawyer has denied.
The Golden Globe winner finally broke her silence on rumors of a feud between her and showrunner Taylor Sheridan last month.
“I’ve taken a beating from those King guys, and I know where it’s coming from a lot of times. I choose not to get into it. But if you know me well, I made ‘Yellowstone’ my number one priority, and it would be wrong to provoke anything else. I didn’t start any of them. They did. ,” Costner Said deadline.
Sheridan, for his part, noted that Costner wanted to leave “Yellowstone” and do “Horizon.”
Despite the conflicting stances, Costner expressed interest in rejoining the show before it ended production for good.
Last week, the “Bodyguard” actor said “CBS Sunday Morning” If the storyline piques his interest, he is considering a return.
“If I like the story, where it’s going, I’ll go back,” he said, adding that his reason for leaving had nothing to do with his new multi-film big-screen project.
“I did everything I was contracted to do with Yellowstone,” he added.
The first half of “Yellowstone” Season 5 will conclude in January 2023. The final episodes are now being shot and are scheduled to air on November 10, 2024.
