Kevin Costner as John Dutton on Yellowstone

What Is Happening With My Messy Cowboy Drama?!

I was late to the game, but I quickly became obsessed with Yellowstone once I started watching it. Aptly described as “Succession with cowboys,” the series from creator Taylor Sheridan brought Kevin Costner to the west and shows how easily Republicans can be “lib-pilled.” And now the series might be undergoing a major change.

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Rumors are swirling about the Paramount series after Deadline reported that Sheridan is trying to push a new series with Matthew McConaughey as the lead, leaving the Costner-led Yellowstone to end. According to the rumors, that end could be as soon as season 5, which is set to finish airing this summer.

Deadline‘s sources say that there is a stand-off at the ranch because of shooting schedules. Kevin Costner reportedly wants to limit the rest of his filming schedule to one week for the second half of season 5. If sources are correct, that could leave the fate of the series up in the air. It also raises a lot of questions.

Is Kevin Costner leaving the show?

The answer right now is that we don’t know. It could easily just be something they resolve with Costner and continue the series. Or it could become a bigger issue. But it seems as if even Deadline‘s sources aren’t clear on what will come of the show, and Paramount is saying they hope to continue working with Costner as John Dutton.

“We have no news to report. Kevin Costner is a big part of Yellowstone and we hope that’s the case for a long time to come. Thanks to the brilliant mind of Taylor Sheridan, we are always working on franchise expansions of this incredible world he has built. Matthew McConaughey is a phenomenal talent with whom we’d love to partner,” a Paramount Network spokesperson told Deadline.

So at least Paramount is assuring viewers that the McConaughey series would be different from Yellowstone and that the flagship series isn’t in danger. That’s all we know right now, so we’ll have to wait and see what happens with the series, but it is interesting to have this story break as it is the first time I’ve really heard of trouble at Yellowstone Ranch.

What is the Matthew McConaughey series?

The series starring McConaughey is rumored to be a new one for Sheridan and the franchise. Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone universe has brought out some big name actors for its spinoff series. We had 1883 with Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, and we currently have 1923 with Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren. The world is expanding and this McConaughey series seems like just one of the new layers to the Dutton family.

That doesn’t mean that Costner would be out. The rumors are simply just that he wants to film less and that Sheridan is over it. It’s all speculation. So whether or not that’s the truth remains to be seen. This McConaughey series could focus on a part of the Dutton family’s background that we haven’t explored yet.

Until we know more, the Yellowstone franchise is set to continue with the rest of 1923 this month and more of Yellowstone season 5 this summer.

(featured image: Paramount)


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Rachel Leishman
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Rachel Leishman (She/Her) is an Assistant Editor at the Mary Sue. She's been a writer professionally since 2016 but was always obsessed with movies and television and writing about them growing up. A lover of Spider-Man and Wanda Maximoff's biggest defender, she has interests in all things nerdy and a cat named Benjamin Wyatt the cat. If you want to talk classic rock music or all things Harrison Ford, she's your girl but her interests span far and wide. Yes, she knows she looks like Florence Pugh. She has multiple podcasts, normally has opinions on any bit of pop culture, and can tell you can actors entire filmography off the top of her head. Her current obsession is Glen Powell's dog, Brisket. Her work at the Mary Sue often includes Star Wars, Marvel, DC, movie reviews, and interviews.