Kevin Costner and I are on the same page.
While ongoing rumored drama and conflicting production schedules have fully convinced me Kevin Costner isn’t returning for the final episodes of Yellowstone, he’s still speaking highly of the show. He might not talk much about what’s to come with John Dutton, however, he recently looked back on the early days of Taylor Sheridan’s Western as he spoke about why he took the role all those years ago. And I have to say, his motivation for taking the part and loving the show is the same reason why I’m still watching the modern Western.
Kevin Costner Kept It Real While Breaking Down Why He Said Yes To Yellowstone
While we’ve been chatting a whole lot about the final episodes of Yellowstone that are set to air later on the 2024 TV schedule, Kevin Costner threw it back to the beginning while on Armchair Expert. We met John Dutton in 2018, and at the time, the actor behind him was the biggest name in the cast by a long shot. Since then, the show has exploded in popularity, and fans have fallen in love with the world. For Costner, he always “believed” in the “world” Taylor Sheridan had created, saying:
I just believed in the world. I knew it was a soap opera. I knew we should all be in jail. We’ve all killed people there, and so you throw logic out the window, right, a little bit.
I’ve always been one to think of Yellowstone as a big Western soap opera, and it’s a major reason why I love it. It’s so dramatic and even romantic in a way, and the writing is incredibly compelling. Taylor Sheridan’s scripts are ultimately what Costner was really drawn to, as he explained:
He has a great ear, and he just wrote that stuff really authentically, and it was good fun. And he wrote my part especially well and Kelly [Reilly]’s part. So listen, I had a lot of fun with it.
I also have a lot of fun with Yellowstone, and it’s for similar reasons.
I Love Yellowstone For The Exact Same Reason
When I tune in to watch Yellowstone, I’m not looking for realistic stories, I’m here for the drama.
I want the amped-up Jamie and Beth feud coming at us in full force. I want Rip and Beth’s sweeping romance. And I want to see those branded Bunkhouse Boys getting their hands dirty, taking people to the Train Station and getting into brawls on the ranch.
As Costner said, this show is a soap opera, and that’s why it’s so fun and compelling. When I turn this drama on, I know I’m in for a tense time on the ranch that’s elevated above reality, and that’s exactly what I want.
Taylor Sheridan makes the show move through his writing, and he’s developed these deep and fascinating relationships between the entire Yellowstone cast and the antagonists who come in and out of the show. When all that comes together it’s magic, and it balances authentic and meaningful stories about family with big drama, making the series irresistible.
There’s a reason why there are so many upcoming Yellowstone shows, Taylor Sheridan has created a rich and theatrical world that’s well-written, and it’s impossible not to want more of the Dutton’s story.
While Kevin Costner probably isn’t returning to Yellowstone, the show is coming back next fall, and I can’t wait. However, while I wait for new episodes, I’ll be going back and marathoning this incredible “soap opera” with a Peacock subscription.
