When it was confirmed that Kevin Costner would be departing Yellowstone, there were lots of stories and reports claiming this was down to creative differences between the Oscar-winning star and creator Taylor Sheridan. Did Costner overvalue his place and push for a higher salary, did he want a larger role behind the camera, was there a falling out between Costner and Sheridan? Reports tell a variety of different stories, but now Sheridan has come out and spoke his truth.
In an appearance on The Bill Simmons Podcast, Sheridan mentioned that Costner was only supposed to be a part of the Yellowstone machine for three seasons, before passing the baton onto his son and then seeing the narrative shift to whether or not the son would retain or lose the famed ranch. However, the show became hugely popular, and a lot of time was spent filling gaps, and this extended Costner's stay, until he needed to exit.
In full, Sheridan explained: "The notion of giving up a hit before it had run out of juice to squeeze is very foreign to a network. Finally, Kevin hit a point where he said, "I gotta do my own thing." But we originally conceived it together that it was three seasons and then the baton is handed — because we had to tread water for a bit there, and I think it was pretty evident."
Maybe it was for the best to ensure the series continued progressing forward and didn't get too tied down with existing characters and narrative threads. Still, what are your thoughts on Costner's Yellowstone departure?