After the show’s Season 3 cliffhanger, speculation sprouted online that John Dutton (Kevin Costner) would not be returning for Season 4 of “Yellowstone.”
Rumors Swirl About Kevin Costner Leaving ‘Yellowstone’
Some people pointed to rumors that Costner, who lives in Colorado, was unhappy about production moving from Utah to Montana and wanted to use the Season 3 cliffhanger to make an early exit. Others cited a recent interview in which Costner responded that he “can’t say” whether he’s returning in Season 4.
But it appears that such speculation is off the mark. There are multiple signs that Costner plays a key role in Season 4, as Gold Derby notes.
For one thing, Costner has already posted a picture of himself on set in Montana to his Instagram account.
“It’s hard to beat Montana in October,” he wrote last autumn. “Easy to see why everyone wants a piece of #Yellowstone ranch!”
Moreover, Gossip Cop looked into the rumors and found that Costner remains the show’s star as well as an executive producer. A spokesperson for Costner told the website on the record that the rumors aren’t true and that Costner is “very proud of ‘Yellowstone.’”
Putting the Audience on His Shoulder
And Costner himself told Gold Derby last summer that he believes in the audience for this show. He said that the right kind of Western can be unforgettable for viewers.
“I believe in the audience and their willingness to take that ride, whatever age they are,” Costner said. “I think that younger people are dying for something that’s compelling. If you don’t make it compelling, they won’t respond.”
Costner added that he “put[s the audience] on my shoulder every time I decide to do something.”
And he stressed again that he tries to keep the audience on his shoulders in an interview with AARP Magazine.
“I have been tested in a lot of different ways,” Costner said. “There have been very critical moments where I had to listen to myself and act and not be afraid of the outcome. I always put the audience on my shoulder. And I will say to Hollywood people, ‘Don’t be too sure they don’t want to see that.’ And that’s what the fight is about.”
But Costner does have another group of people to consider: his family. He spent long stretches of time away from home while filming Season 4.
“It puts me away from home. I go home every moment I can,” Costner told Good Housekeeping. “But this year, we’re filming exclusively in Montana, which makes going home almost impossible.”
Still, all that hard work will pay off when Season 4 of “Yellowstone” finally airs. Fans will see for themselves that it’s too early to count John Dutton out.
