Yellowstone could have had completely different ending if Kevin Costner stayed

Yellowstone star Kevin Costner has revealed his idea for the hit Paramount Network drama’s conclusion was very different from what actually happens to the Dutton family.

The hit modern Western drama created by Taylor Sheridan ran for five seasons, though the final outing was complicated by Hollywood star Costner’s decision to leave his role as ranch owner John Dutton.

John was killed off at the start of the delayed second half of season five, leaving his children Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Kayce (Luke Grimes) to continue his legacy.

Though the mainline series is at an end, the Duttons’ story will continue in the upcoming spin-off Marshals, starring Grimes, and The Dutton Ranch, starring Reilly and Cole Hauser as Beth’s husband, Rip Wheeler.

However, before the Yellowstone franchise’s future was sealed with Costner’s exit, he had his own vision of how the family’s story could conclude.

Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, the A-list star described the show as a “bit of a soap opera” and suggested the Duttons “should all be in prison”.

Of course, it’s unknown if showrunner Sheridan would have opted for Costner’s idea for the ending had he remained part of the series until the end of season five.

It’s possible that Yellowstone’s soap opera tone was precisely why Costner made the decision to jump ship.

He previously complained on Marc Maron’s WTF Podcast that the show was "too much like f***ing Dallas”, a popular CBS soap that ran from the late 1970s to early 1990s.

Many fans have made the same comparison between the two dramas, though it appears Costner wanted Yellowstone to take its characters more seriously.

Had the show taken place in a more realistic setting, John, Beth, Kayce and their wayward brother Jamie (Wes Bentley) could have faced much more severe repercussions.

Having left the series, Costner has since worked on his own ambitious projects, the epic four-part historical Western film Horizon.

The third chapter is currently in production, though facing severe delays after the release of the second part was postponed indefinitely by Warner Bros due to the box office disappointment of Chapter 1.

Meanwhile, the Yellowstone franchise is still going strong with yet another spin-off in the works to join the ranks of Marshals and The Dutton Ranch.

Hollywood star Michelle Pfeiffer will lead The Madison, an offshoot about a wealthy New York family who relocate to Montana, which is slated for release late this year.

A second season has already been filmed before season one’s release, so fans should expect more updates in the coming months.

Yellowstone is available to stream on Paramount+.

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