Kevin Costner returns to the world of Yellowstone in February 2025, but the new series only proves how frustrating and disappointing his character’s fate was in season 5, part 2. As many remember, Costner left Yellowstone after the season 5, part 1 finale. Reports claimed that part 2’s lengthy filming schedule was too demanding for Costner, who wanted to focus on other projects. In addition to scheduling conflicts, creative differences and other behind-the-scenes drama between Costner and Yellowstone showrunner Taylor Sheridan reportedly led to the actor’s exit from the neo-Western drama.
Costner is working on his four-part epic Western film series, Horizon: An American Saga. The first movie premiered in June 2024, and Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2 is expected to be released in 2025. As for the third and fourth films, Chapter 3 is in production and Chapter 4 is in development. Consequently, the cast of Yellowstone season 5, part 2 had to continue without Costner. Given that his character was the face of the show, the premiere had to address his absence. Many speculated about John’s fate in the months leading up to the first episode of season 5, part 2. Some thought John would die, while others believed he would be out of the state. Unfortunately, many viewers’ worst fears came to light.
The good news is that Costner is returning to the Yellowstone franchise; the bad news is that his character’s ending will follow him wherever he goes. Starting on Saturday, February 8, Kevin Costner appears in the three-part documentary Yellowstone to Yosemite with Kevin Costner. The docuseries airs on Fox Nation, releasing episodes weekly. Costner serves as the host and executive producer of Yellowstone to Yosemite with Kevin Costner, which centers on his journey to walk the same path as Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir did during their Yosemite expedition in 1903. Unfortunately, the Fox Nation docuseries isn’t by Taylor Sheridan nor does it bring back John Dutton III.
Nevertheless, viewers get to see Costner back in his element. Throughout Yellowstone to Yosemite with Kevin Costner, the actor explores the historic journey that helped reinforce and strengthen the National Park system in the United States. Taylor Sheridan’s latest series Landman has a stellar and critically acclaimed opening season, claiming to be better than Yellowstone season 1 in five key ways. Given his involvement in Yellowstone to Yosemite, it’s evident that Yellowstone meant a lot to Kevin Costner.
So, while exciting, the new docuseries only makes John Dutton III’s death more frustrating and heartbreaking. It serves as a reminder of what could have been if Costner hadn’t left Yellowstone before the conclusion. Everything would have been different. Unfortunately, that is not the reality we live in, and John is truly dead in the Yellowstone universe.
