Yellowstone has bid farewell to Kevin Costner, who has successfully portrayed the role of patriarch John Dutton. During Yellowstone Season 5, Episode 9, which aired on November 10, 2024, and marked the beginning of the second half of the season, John Dutton died from a gunshot wound. And while the fans are upset at the loss of the show’s undisputed lead character, Cole Hauser, who plays Rip Wheeler thinks Yellowstone has more stories to tell.
While speaking with PEOPLE, the actor shared that he thinks there is space for the Dutton story to keep going on beyond Yellowstone Season 5. He thinks that it would “be a shame to stop a great thing,” talking about the producers’ decision to bring the show to an end following Costner’s exit. Talking about the show’s high ratings, Hauser argued that the audience wants to keep up with the stories of the rest of the characters.
Hauser praised showrunner Taylor Sheridan for bringing back “an American man who is unapologetic, honest, loyal with strong values” with Yellowstone. He shared that the Dutton family’s story has touched so many people and he was honored to have portrayed a character people want to watch on the screen because of his honesty, grit, and determination. Hauser concluded by saying that the journey has been a hell of a ride for him and claimed that he couldn’t wait for the fans to see the final episodes.
‘Yellowstone’ Viewers Are Not Happy With John Dutton’s Exit
Image via Paramount Network
While Kevin Costner announced his exit from the back in June 2024, it was unclear as to how the show would write his character off. But a few minutes into the second half of Season 5, Costner’s character dies of a gunshot wound. After his children find the body, they assume their father has committed suicide. However, it is then revealed that Sarah Atwood (Dawn Oliveri), who is dating his estranged son Jamie (Wes Bentley) orchestrated a plot to kill him.
According to the show’s executive producer Christina Voros, the decision to kick off the second half of Season 5 like this was “incredibly brave” of Sheridan. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Voros shared that they referred to John Dutton’s death as an ‘arrival’ on set, just to keep his fate a secret from the cast and crew. They also gave him the pseudonym of Crosby to avoid any spoilers or leaks.
However, the fans did not agree with Voros’s sentiments and believed that Costner’s exit from the show should have been more grand. “John Dutton deserved to go out like a gladiator, not a victim,” tweeted a fan. Many people took to social media to claim that John Dutton deserved better and that his write-off was lazy and did not do justice to who he was as a character.
Yellowstone Season 5 is currently airing on the Paramount Network. All episodes of the show are available to stream on Peacock and Paramount+.
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Yellowstone |
|---|---|
| Cast | Kevin Costner, Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly, Wes Bentley, Cole Hauser |
| Release Date | June 20, 2018 |
| Stream On | Paramount Network, Peacock |
| Directed By | Taylor Sheridan, Stephen Kay, Christina Voros |
| Produced By | John Linson, Taylor Sheridan, Art Linson, David C. Glasser |
| Based On | Original concept by Taylor Sheridan |
| Plot Summary | The Dutton family faces off against those encroaching on their land, navigating loyalty, conflict, and survival. |
| Musical Elements | Score by Brian Tyler, capturing the drama of the American West |
| Current Status | Currently airing Season 5, with final episodes released in 2024 |
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