MOVIE NEWS – Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan is breaking her silence on the news that Kevin Costner has left the hit series to focus on directing his own western epic.

Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan has finally spoken out. So far, he has not commented on Kevin Costner leaving the Paramount+ hit series’ 5th season to focus on directing his Western epic. Costner’s career took off like a phoenix when he took the lead role of John Dutton in Sheridan’s sprawling neo-western series. The series was a massive success on the Paramount Network and Paramount+. Costner, however, now seems to be done with Yellowstone. The actor has moved on to direct his epic Western project, the four-part film Horizon.

Meanwhile, the remaining episodes of Yellowstone Season 5 will be delayed as both Costner’s exit and the ongoing strike at the WGA have thwarted plans to finish the series in 2023.

The series creator told THR that he hopes the actor can achieve what he hopes to accomplish with his own film, Horizon. Here’s what he said:

“My opinion of Kevin as an actor hasn’t altered. His creation of John Dutton is symbolic and powerful … and 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 took a lot of this on the chin and I don’t know that anyone deserves it. His movie seems to be a great priority to him and he wants to shift focus. I sure hope [the movie is] worth it – and that it’s a good one.”

The Yellowstone universe is already far beyond Costner

Costner may have given Yellowstone a certain credibility when he signed on to play John Dutton before the first season. However, the breakthrough success of the series meant that Sheridan’s plans soon became much bigger than maintaining a hit series while serving the needs of his star. After all, the series had already given the world several spinoffs. Among them were the hit series 1883 and 1923.

Sheridan is also planning a sequel to the Yellowstone spinoff, with Matthew McConaughey replacing Costner while possibly keeping other characters.

Unfortunately, Costner couldn’t make time in his schedule to shoot Yellowstone season 5, part 2, in addition to his Horizon work. But it could be argued that the series didn’t really need it anyway. No word yet on how Sheridan and company will conclude the series’ now-officially final season. Given Sheridan’s track record as a creator of compelling dramatic television, it’s likely that the series has plenty more explosive developments in store as the Yellowstone universe transitions into the post-Costner era.

Source: THR