Yellowstone': Taylor Sheridan & Kevin Costner Wanted John Dutton Written Out Much Sooner

“Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan said he and Kevin Costner, who played John Dutton, agreed from the start that the character would be in only three seasons. Sheridan made the comments on the June 28 episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, explaining that network pressure pushed Costner to stay for two additional seasons beyond the original contract. John Dutton was killed off in the Season 5B premiere, which became the most-watched episode of the series, including many simulcasts. Sheridan also described the show’s success as “such a huge hit” and said networks were reluctant to end it, citing pressure from cable partners seeking a set number of seasons. The article notes that Season 3’s finale included multiple assassination attempts on John, Beth and Kayce, leaving the family’s fate in uncertainty.