War is coming, and Kevin Costner won’t be there.
After over a year of reports and drama surrounding the final episodes of Yellowstone, it was finally confirmed that Kevin Costner would not be returning as the show’s patriarch John Dutton. Now, as production on the last part of Season 5 gets into full swing without him, we’re starting to see old clips pop up as advertisements alluding to what’s coming. Let me tell you, they really do hint at the conflict that’s headed to our screens in November, and it makes me wonder how Costner’s character will be written off.
Yellowstone Is Posting Clips About Jamie And Beth’s Feud
Time for a brief history lesson. On June 20, Yellowstone’s Instagram posted a video of the signature Y brand and the release date for the second half of Season 5. Ahead of its premiere on the 2024 TV schedule, there have been a lot of throwback clips posted, however, there hasn’t been too much about production or what’s coming on the show’s official account. But, there have been two instances where the show has posted specifically about what’s to come via old clips, stating with this advertisement from July 5:
As you can see in the video, the “epic return of Yellowstone” will prominently feature Jamie and Beth’s feud (which isn’t a shocker). It also alludes to the notion that Wes Bentley’s character is going to actively try to take down his dad, as he said:
The greatest threat to that ranch is our father. So, I will remove the threat.
Then, we didn’t see anything about the second half of Season 5 until the show’s IG posted this video on July 26:
Notably, it mentions the upcoming November 10 release date and is a full-on promotion for what’s next.
It featured Beth prominently through old clips, and included her saying:
There is no morality here. There is keep the kingdom or lose the kingdom.
Now, these two posts are the only ones from after the date announcement that are clear and obvious advertisements for the second half of Season 5. To me that speaks volumes. It tells us that Beth and Jamie will be at the center of this season, and it highlights the catastrophic rift between the two siblings and their relationships with their dad and the ranch.
So, the question becomes: How will they use this storyline to write off John Dutton?
How Will Kevin Costner Be Written Out Of The Show?
There are a lot of ways Costner could be written off, and it’s a topic that’s been on people’s minds since rumors started to swirl about his exit. From his character’s cancer coming back into the equation to him being killed to him simply moving away, the possibilities are all over the place, and I don’t know which way they’ll go. However, these clips gave me a bit more clarity.
These ads were a reminder of Jamie’s threats against his dad, and Beth’s commitment to take her brother down and serve her dad. I think both hint at the idea that Wes Bentley and Kelly Reilly’s characters could factor into John’s exit, and maybe Jamie will go through with his proclamation and take his dad down.
The trip up here is it wouldn’t be shown on screen. With Costner gone, they can’t film a dramatic exit. However, it’s always possible it will happen off-screen, and we’ll find out when a character like Beth gets a call about it.
I’ve been a long-time proponent of the idea that killing John off could make the show better, because it would force the kids’ hands as they truly fight over how to handle the ranch. Their dad would be out of the picture, and it would be an inciting incident that would either push them further apart or bring them together.
Pretty soon, we’ll get to see how Kevin Costner is written off the show, and how Jamie and Beth’s feud escalates when Yellowstone returns for its final episodes on the Paramount Network. However, for now, you can go back and watch Costner, Bentley and Reilly in the first five seasons with a Peacock subscription.
