Rumors have been swirling that Yellowstone star Kevin Costner might be leaving the show after Season 5, but is there any substance to them? Read on while we lay out the argument that this could, in fact, be his final year playing the iconic role of John Dutton.

Why Would Kevin Costner Leave Yellowstone After Such Massive Success?

There are several reasons Costner could choose to step away:

  • He's begun working on an enormous four-part movie titled Horizon, which he is producing, directing and starring in. His wife is also involved in the project, which has been shooting at the same time Costner is filming Season 5 of Yellowstone.
  • He's also committed to The Gray House, a Civil War-era film he's producing with Morgan Freeman.
  • Some of the new Season 5 cast members of Yellowstone have revealed they have never met Costner offscreen, because his time is so stretched. And he's talked several times about how important work-life balance is to him and his wife.

What Has Kevin Costner Said About Future Seasons of Yellowstone?

It's more what he hasn't said that's interesting. In an interview with USA Today in November of 2022, Costner declined to confirm that he'd participate in another season after Season 5.

He also revealed that he'd initially only committed to one season, adding others as the show has gone along.

"I give everything I can to what I'm doing," he said. "But the moment I feel that it's not right, I'm just going to step away."

Will John Dutton Die on Yellowstone?

John Dutton dying seems like the only way Kevin Costner can possibly exit the show, doesn't it?

Let's look at Season 5. First of all, we've seen less of John Dutton in some episodes, including a few he's barely in at all. Second, the character has been unusually reflective in Season 5; there was a scene with Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) early on when he was talking about her mother and things he doesn't want to say to his kids, and another episode where he said he had one child he pitied, one he regretted and one that he envied.

In the mid-season finale, we even saw John and his son Kayce (Luke Grimes) hug, with John saying an uncharacteristic, "I love you" — despite the fact that Grimes himself told Taste of Country seeing affection between them is very rare.

We know John Dutton has had cancer in the past, so has it returned, and he hasn't told anyone yet? Maybe he's contemplating his mortality. Or will Jamie (Wes Bentley) end up killing his adopted father just as he killed his biological father? There's no telling ... but it does seem like all signs point in the same direction when it comes to Costner's future on Yellowstone.

What Do We Know About Future Seasons of Yellowstone?

Part 2 of Season 5 will debut in the Summer of 2023. Cole Hauser (Rip Wheeler) has spilled that there will be a Season 6 and a Season 7, though it's not entirely clear if he was referring to the second part of Season 5 and then one more season. Beyond that, there's not much to know about the future of Yellowstone, other than there are still several spinoffs coming.

1883 ran in 2022 and told the backstory of how the Duttons ended up in Montana, and 1923 is airing in 2023, filling in the gap between then and the modern-day Yellowstone.

An 1883 spinoff titled Bass Reeves is currently in production, and it will tell the story of an iconic lawman, while the long-awaited 6666 will take place at the Texas ranch that has already been introduced on several seasons of Yellowstone.

As part of Taste of Country's comprehensive coverage of all things Yellowstone, check out our Dutton Rules podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

PICTURES: See Inside Kevin Costner's Spectacular Colorado Ranch

Yellowstone star Kevin Costner lives the ranch life when he's off the set of the hit show, too. The Oscar-winning actor owns a 160-acre ranch in Aspen, Colo., that's a spectacular getaway, complete with a main residence, a lake house and a river house.

The luxury retreat also features a baseball field, a sledding hill, an ice rink, multiple hot tubs and views of the Continental Divide. The ranch property comfortably sleeps 27 people, and it's currently available to rent for 36,000 a night.

You Can Rent a Cabin on the Ranch From 'Yellowstone' - See Pictures

The stunning Montana ranch that serves as the setting for the hit TV show Yellowstone offers cabins for rent, and the price includes tours of the set and ranch. Scroll below to see photos of the extraordinary property.

More From K96 FM