7 Ways ‘Yellowstone’ Could Handle Kevin Costner’s Exit

While it might be unclear just how much more of Kevin Costner as John Dutton we’ll get, we do at least know that there is more Yellowstone coming — and the talk surrounding the Paramount Network drama won’t affect what we see onscreen.

With Costner’s focus shifting to the upcoming films Horizon (which he’s co-writing, directing, and starring in), how much he’s going to be part of Yellowstone Season 5B (now the end of the show) is up in the air. But, as Taylor Sheridan told The Hollywood Reporter, “it truncates the closure of his character. It doesn’t alter it, but it truncates it” and “I don’t do f**k-you car crashes. Whether [Dutton’s fate] inflates [Costner’s] ego or insults is collateral damage that I don’t factor in with regard to storytelling.” That doesn’t rule out John being killed off.

We last saw John facing possible impeachment — a charge led by his adopted son Jamie (Wes Bentley) — and talking to his daughter Beth (Kelly Reilly) about utilizing the “train station” (a.k.a. where they leave the bodies).

So how could Yellowstone handle Costner’s exit/presumably limited availability for its remaining episodes? We take a look at some possibilities below.

Yellowstone, Season 5B Premiere, November, Paramount Network