Dutton Ranchs Fate in Yellowstone Spin-off Unveiled

Insiders alleged the dispute was just another example of Costner being ‘impossible.’ 'There's a long list of people in Hollywood who swear they'll never work with Costner again,' the outlet claimed.

In December 2024, Luke Grimes admitted to Esquire that Costner’s absence from the second half of Season 5 actually made filming easier. 

'To be really honest, there was a part of Kevin being gone that meant some of the conflict was gone,' Grimes explained. 'Not pointing any fingers, but it was actually the easiest season we've filmed.'

Other complaints over the years included Costner’s alleged habit of rewriting scripts without warning, clashing with co-stars, and difficulty following directions. 

However, his former agent Rick Nicita, who represented him from 2002 to 2008, pushed back. 

'The word difficult gets used a lot,' Nicita said. 'It can mean someone who won't come out of their trailer, or someone who doesn't know their lines, or is rude. That's not Kevin.'

Rumors of Costner leaving Yellowstone first surfaced in 2023, but his attorney Marty Singer denied claims he refused to film more than one week of Season 5 Part 2. 

'The idea that Kevin was only willing to work one week on the second half of Season 5 of Yellowstone is an absolute lie,' Singer said. 'It's ridiculous - and anyone suggesting it shouldn't be believed for one second.'

Filming conflicted with Costner’s plans to direct Horizon, the first in a planned four-part Western movie series. 

In June 2024, Costner confirmed via Instagram that he would not appear at all in Season 5 Part 2.

Sheridan told The Hollywood Reporter he was ‘disappointed’ by Costner’s departure, saying it affected the show creatively. 

'It truncates the closure of his character,' he said. 'It doesn't alter it, but it truncates it.'

Sheridan insisted his opinion of Costner as an actor remains unchanged, calling his portrayal of John Dutton ‘symbolic and powerful.’ 

On the alleged tension, he added: 'I've never had an issue with Kevin that he and I couldn't work out on the phone. But once lawyers get involved, then people don't get to talk to each other and start saying things that aren't true and attempt to shift blame based on how the press or public seem to be reacting.'

He concluded: 'He took a lot of this on the chin in terms of the saga playing out publicly, I don't know that anyone deserves it.'