This one hurts.
According to ET Online, Kevin Costner will reportedly not be returning to Yellowstone after a source tipped off the outlet.
Additional sources also said that they have no update on whether the original cast and crew will be returning to Montana to film the second half of season five.
Of course, this all stems from the reports a few months back that Costner would be exiting the show after a conflict in scheduling to film the second half of season five. He allegedly only wanted one week to film due to his busy schedule, which includes working on his upcoming western movie Horizon.
Since then, the cast and crew from Yellowstone have been incredibly vague, with some stars noting that they aren’t sure what’s going on, and others even alluding to Costner getting killed off the show.
It also raised some eyebrows when a number of stars didn’t make an appearance at PaleyFest, such as Costner, Kelly Reilly, Cole Hauser, and Luke Grimes.
We’ve also heard reports that the show will be ending after season five, although it was originally expected to go on for at least six or seven seasons, and we also have a confirmed Matthew McConaughey spinoff series in the works.
Back in February, Puck News reporter Matthew Belloni sat down for an interview with ET, saying:
“Yellowstone is really in limbo right now until they can figure out whether Costner is coming back or, more likely, whether he’s going to be written out of the show.
Once that determination is made, they can finish writing the second half of this season, shoot it, and it will likely air in the fall.”
Needless to say, it’s been a total sh*tshow going on regarding news of Yellowstone, and its hard to piece together what’s fact and what’s fiction.
Regardless, it truly does suck to know that the show is going to end the way it is, and Costner will no longer be apart of the Taylor Sheridan saga.
By the time the second half of Season 5 rolls around we won’t even remember what happened so here’s a quick five-season catch up video.
And by quick I mean 20 minutes:
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Kevin Costner’s Wife Files For Divorce
It appears that Christine Baumgartner, wife of Kevin Costner, has filed for a divorce from the Yellowstone star.
The divorce was filed on Monday by Christine to end the couple’s 18 year marriage.
Though the exact details behind the separation are not available, Christine noted that the pair had “irreconcilable differences.”
As for Costner, it seems that he might not have had much say in the decision. A representative for Kevin told TMZ:
“It is with great sadness that circumstances beyond his control have transpired which have resulted in Mr. Costner having to participate in a dissolution of marriage action.
We ask that his, Christine’s and their children’s privacy be respected as they navigate this difficult time.”
Both Costner and Baumgartner have asked for joint custody of their children. The former couple share three children, Cayden (15) Hayes (14) and their daughter Grace (12).
In the past couple of years, the couple had been open about their relationship to media outlets, discussing their family dynamics and even the struggle the couple had when deciding to have kids in their 6-year dating relationship before they were married.
It has been reported that the marriage was entered into with a prenuptial. This will mark the end of the 68-year-old Kevin Costner’s second time being married.
Matthew McConaughey To Star In Upcoming ‘Yellowstone’ Spinoff Series
It has pretty much been all crickets since we heard the news that Kevin Costner could possibly be leaving Yellowstone, due to scheduling conflicts for the filming of the second half of Season 5.
Costner allegedly requested only one week to film the remainder of Season 5 due to his busy schedule with his new western film Horizon in the works, causing uncertainty about the future of the show.
If Yellowstone is to go on as scheduled, then it appears we won’t be getting the Season 5: Part 2 premier until at least November, much later than the initially promised summer premier.
Of course, Costner’s attorney Marty Singer denied these allegations, telling Puck News:
“The idea that Kevin was only willing to work one week on the second half of season 5 of Yellowstone is an absolute lie. It’s ridiculous, and anyone suggesting it shouldn’t be believed for one second.
As everyone who knows anything about Kevin is well aware, he is incredibly passionate about the show and has always gone way above and beyond to ensure its success.”
However, amid the Costner and Yellowstone drama, rumors have swirled that there could be a spinoff series in the works starring Matthew McConaughey, along with much of the original cast.
With that being said, those rumors have been confirmed today by Chris McCarthy, the head of Paramount Media Networks.
He shared the news with The Hollywood Reporter.
Although he doesn’t have any updates on the Costner situation, he said that the show:
“Wouldn’t be what it is today without Kevin and we hope that he stays for a long time to come.”
And then he shared the news about McConaughey is lined up to star in a Yellowstone spinoff, which is happening regardless of Costner’s decision, adding yet another show to the universe of Taylor Sheridan.
“Matthew McConaughey is lined up to star in a Yellowstone extension, which will move forward regardless of whether Costner returns to the original. In fact, it’s one of more than 10 projects that McCarthy has with creator Taylor Sheridan.”
LET’S GO.
Of course, the news and details at this point are very minimal, but it’ll be cool to see one of the most well-known actors on the planet starring in a Sheridan original, one that feels long overdue.
If I had to guess, it McConaughey would be starring the highly-anticipated 6666’s Ranch Spinoff that we’ve been promised from Taylor Sheridan and company. And with the storyline of Season 5 sending Rip Wheeler and some of the bunkhouse crew down to Texas… it all but makes perfect sense.
Getting the old band back together, eh?
Stay tuned…
Yellowstone: 6666
Back in February of 2021, before the insane amount of projects Taylor Sheridan is working on right now was ever revealed, it was announced that a Texas-based spinoff series was in the works, set at the iconic 6666’s Ranch in West, Texas.
The 6666’s Ranch was founded by Samuel “Burk” Burnett in 1870, when he bought 100 head of cattle branded with “6666” on them. These days, the property is a staggering 266,000 acres across three ranches: The 6666, the Frisco Creek and the Dixon Creek.
It was rumored to star Jefferson White as Jimmy Hurdstrom and Ryan Bingham as Walker, but other than that, there wasn’t much detail aside from this synopsis:
“Founded when Comanches still ruled West Texas, no ranch in America is more steeped in the history of the West than the 6666. Still operating as it did two centuries before, and encompassing an entire county, the 6666 is where the rule of law and the laws of nature merge in a place where the most dangerous thing one does is the next thing.
The 6666 is synonymous with the merciless endeavor to raise the finest horses and livestock in the world, and ultimately where world class cowboys are born and made.”
But then, Taylor Sheridan bought the actual ranch…
Jefferson White Weighs In
Jefferson White sat down with us on the Whiskey Riff Raff podcast and explained everything he knows about the upcoming spinoff so far.
Here’s what he had to say:
“We filmed those Four Sixes sequences down at the Four Sixes, which is a real life, huge, working cattle ranch… one of the biggest in the country, one of the oldest in the country. After spending four years on the Yellowstone which is a fictional ranch, it was a real eye-opener to go down to the Sixes which is a real life, incredible, sort of goliath, cattle ranch.
As far as the spinoff goes, I don’t think you’ll be surprised that I, Jeff/Jimmy never have any idea what the f*ck is going on, and any time I think I do, Taylor does something better and cooler than I ever could’ve imagined.
All I can say is that I hope… I’m incredibly grateful for the work we’ve gotten to do so far, incredibly proud… all I can say as an actor is job security is very rare and very precious so I wanna play this character as long as they’ll let me.
And we’ll find out together how much longer that is… anytime I think I know what’s best for this character or for this world, Taylor proves me wrong. He knows better than any of us.”
Needless to say, only time will tell, but based on the way we saw Jimmy leave the Yellowstone Ranch at the end of Season 4… it sounds like Jimmy is going to be the star of his own show someday soon.
Stay tuned… with Taylor Sheridan involved, anything is possible.
Listen to the full podcast with Jefferson White, AKA Jimmy Hurdstrom, below:
The podcast is available everywhere. Download the podcast on Apple Podcasts by searching “Whiskey Riff Raff” or click here. We’re also available on Spotify and wherever else you can listen to podcasts.
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If you’re looking for the entire Yellowstone soundtrack, complete through every episode of Season 5, then look no further.
Our Yellowstone: The Soundtrack Playlist, featuring every song from every episode, updated in real time, every Sunday night.
