How he really feels. Yellowstone fans are concerned about the show’s future amid production delays, but no one’s more upset by the problems than Kevin Costner.
“The holdup is not coming from Kevin,” an insider exclusively tells Us Weekly of the Dances With Wolves director, 68. “He is also very disappointed by the delays, which are beyond his control.”
The first half of the cowboy drama’s fifth season wrapped up in January and was set to return this summer, but new episodes are now not expected to air until late this year. In February, Puck published an exposé claiming that Costner was responsible for shooting delays, in part because he’d asked to complete season 5 in just seven days.
His lawyer Marty Singer, however, slammed that report at the time, telling the outlet: “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.”
According to the insider, the issues are coming from behind the camera. “The drama is between some of the writers and producers,” the source tells Us, adding that the production has been “troubled” for a while. “They all have busy schedules and other projects, and that has caused delays. It’s been upsetting for Kevin because he has a family and a schedule to stick to.”
The Oscar winner, meanwhile, is “known industrywide as one of the hardest workers in the business,” the sources says, noting that “it would be impossible to have a hit show without his level of dedication to the project.”
Earlier this month, Paramount Network confirmed that Yellowstone will end with season 5, to be followed by a still-untitled sequel series. “The Dutton story continues, picking up where Yellowstone leaves off in another epic tale,” David Glasser, CEO of 101 Studios, said in a statement on Friday, May 5. “We are thrilled to bring this new journey to audiences around the world.”
That same day, the Wall Street Journal published a report claiming that cocreator Taylor Sheridan‘s production process has cost Paramount millions of dollars. The newspaper reported that the Sicario screenwriter, 52, charges the network $50,000 per week to shoot on location at his property in Texas. Among other claims, Sheridan raised eyebrows by allegedly flying “his preferred farrier” to the show’s Montana set from Texas instead of hiring a local pro.
“Like many of the best creators, when Taylor is working on a western, he has a team of experts with whom he likes to work, but we ensure there are parameters in place to make cost effective decisions,” a Paramount spokesperson said in response to the reports. “If we could do three more partnerships with people as successful, creative and prolific as Taylor, we’d do it in a heartbeat.”
Earlier this year, both Costner and Sheridan skipped a planned appearance at PaleyFest amid reports of their on-set clashes. Actors Luke Grimes, Wes Bentley, Kelly Reilly, Cole Hauser, Kelsey Asbille, Jacki Weaver and Gil Birmingham also missed the event and were replaced at the last minute by their costars Wendy Moniz, Dawn Olivieri, Josh Lucas and Mo Brings Plenty.
Moniz, who plays Lynelle Perry, exclusively told Us that even the cast wasn’t sure when filming would resume on season 5. “I have no news to report about it,” the House of Cards alum, 54, explained in April. “We’re all just, you know, finding out what everyone else is finding out as it’s going.”
Brings Plenty, for his part, said he wasn’t worried about the delays. “Honestly, it’s Taylor Sheridan,” the Hell on Wheels alum, 53, told Us. “So be prepared for something exciting and a wild ride.”
The confirmation of Yellowstone‘s end came amid news that Costner split from wife Christine Baumgartner after nearly 19 years of marriage. The handbag designer, 49, filed for divorce from the Waterworld actor on May 1, citing irreconcilable differences for the split.
Earlier this week, an insider exclusively told Us that Yellowstone‘s delayed production was “one of the reasons” for the couple’s breakup. “Christine wasn’t happy with Yellowstone‘s schedule delays because it caused him to miss so much time with his family,” the source explained, adding that Costner was “on the fence” about signing on for the show because of how much time it would require away from his family.
The Hidden Figures actor and Baumgartner, who wed in 2004, share sons Cayden, 16, and Hayes, 14, and daughter Grace, 12. Costner also shares daughters Annie, 39, and Lily, 36, and son Joe, 35, with ex-wife Cindy Silva and son Liam, 27, with ex Bridget Rooney.
“Kevin’s team even asked about the possibility of moving the show to California so he could film certain scenes,” the insider added. “It’s been a discussion through the years, but it never worked out. Kevin has been making a lot of effort to make it work for his family.”
