As Kevin Costner promotes his upcoming project, Horizon: An American Saga, he’s giving fans insight into why he initially joined Yellowstone. Costner’s portrayal of the fearless, wise patriarch John Dutton was crucial in making the Taylor Sheridan show a hit, helping it get off the ground and become a cultural phenomenon. During the Horizon press tour, Costner shared a surprising revelation: he never intended to stay on Yellowstone for so many seasons. This comes amid fan disappointment over his absence from the second part of Season 5, which has been clouded by rumors of a feud between Costner and Sheridan.

In a recent interview on the Armchair Expert podcast, Costner explained why he was drawn to the Western drama in the first place. “Yellowstone was just a really great script,” Costner said. “I just believed in the world, I knew it was a soap opera. I knew we should all be in jail. We’ve all killed people there, and so you throw logic out the window, right, a little bit.”

Costner’s attraction to the show’s dramatic and soap opera elements is something many Yellowstone fans can relate to. While the show’s plot points are often unrealistic and even unbelievable, it’s this sheer insanity and drama that make it such an addictive watch. Sheridan’s writing is a key factor in the chaos, and Costner acknowledged Sheridan’s talent.

“[Taylor Sheridan] has a great ear, and he just wrote that stuff really authentically, and it was good fun,” Costner added. “And he wrote my part especially well and Kelly [Reilly]’s part. So listen, I had a lot of fun with it. It was really good, I recognized that, so I did it the best I could possibly do it.”

Will Kevin Costner Return to ‘Yellowstone’?
Kevin Costner as John Dutton standing in an open field in Yellowstone Season 2, Episode 4Image via Paramount Network
That’s the million dollar question. Throughout the press tour, Costner has openly answered questions on Yellowstone and, for his part, he’s made it clear the door is remaining open to his return, even offering to come back just to be killed off. To date, though, there’s been no news of Costner and Sheridan putting their troubles behind them ahead of the finale of the series. Production of Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2 is currently underway, although it will continue without Costner’s John Dutton. Meanwhile, the Yellowstone spinoff series, titled 2024, is in development and will include several key cast members from the original drama series.