Kevin Costner recently opened up about his ongoing dispute with the hit TV show Yellowstone, shedding light on the financial aspects of the disagreement during his divorce hearing. The 68-year-old Golden Globe-winning star claimed that Paramount Network owes him $12 million for the second half of season five, which has not been filmed yet. Costner stated that he may take the matter to court to resolve the issue.
Yellowstone, which has become the most-watched drama on television, has been on hiatus since the first half of season five aired late last year. The reasons for the hold-up have been somewhat unclear, with different sources attributing the delay to various factors. Production sources blamed Costner’s busy schedule, his camp claimed that showrunner Taylor Sheridan took on too many projects, and Sheridan himself pointed to Paramount’s increasing demands for content for its streaming service.
One contributing factor to the delay was Costner’s involvement in a dream project called Horizon, a four-part movie saga that he had signed up for. The first film in the series, Horizon: An American Saga, has already been shot. When the decision was made to split Yellowstone season five into two parts, Costner rearranged his production schedule to accommodate Horizon. However, when he was ready to film, scripts for the second half of season five were not ready. In May, Paramount surprised fans by announcing that the show would end with the second half of season five.
Costner expressed his desire to return for season six but cited issues with the creative direction of the show and a lower offer than previous seasons as reasons for not continuing. In a cover story profile of Sheridan in The Hollywood Reporter, the showrunner gave his perspective on the matter. Sheridan revealed that Costner had requested to work fewer days on Yellowstone in the past few seasons to focus on his movie projects, which frustrated the producers.
Sheridan tried to accommodate Costner’s request by working out a schedule that would allow him to leave the show at his preferred exit date. However, due to ongoing discussions and the incomplete scripts, there is still a possibility that Costner could film a few scenes to wrap up his character in season five.
Sheridan emphasized that his opinion of Costner as an actor has not changed and praised his creation of the character John Dutton as symbolic and powerful. He expressed disappointment over the situation, as it truncates the closure of Costner’s character but does not alter the overall conclusion of the show. Sheridan hinted that John Dutton was never meant to be present until the very end of the series and that this decision aligns with his original movie script for Yellowstone. However, Costner’s statements in court suggested that his role’s truncation was significant, as the original plan was for him to be involved in the show for seven seasons.
While Costner and Paramount Network have not commented on the matter, the dispute between the actor and the show has garnered attention and raised questions about the future of Yellowstone. Fans of the show eagerly await a resolution to the financial and creative differences between the parties involved.
In conclusion, Kevin Costner’s testimony during his divorce hearing shed light on the ongoing dispute between him and the hit show Yellowstone. The conflict revolves around the actor’s claim that he is owed $12 million for the second half of season five. Both Costner and showrunner Taylor Sheridan have provided differing perspectives on the issue, with the creative direction and scheduling conflicts being prominent factors. As the legal battle unfolds, fans of Yellowstone hope for a resolution that will allow the show to continue delivering its captivating storytelling for seasons to come.
