Yellowstone fans, saddle up: The return date for its upcoming season has been announced—and it will be the last one ever. 🥲
More than anything, it's a relief. Sure, it's pretty sad that the show is ending, but there was a period of time when fans were uncertain if there would be any closure at all. (The Kevin Costner and Taylor Sheridan rumors certainly delayed things.)
Now, things are falling into place—and your Western-loving hearts can feel at peace again. Well, minus the fact that Kevin Costner announced that he won't be returning as the beloved John Dutton... more on that later. For now, read up on everything you need to know about Yellowstone season 5 part 2.
Is there a part 2 to Yellowstone season 5?
Yes, there will be a second half to the season. The mid-season finale aired on January 1 2023, leaving fans with many questions that hopefully will be answered. Limited information has been released about what the second half of the season will bring for the Duttons. Based on the mid-season finale, it's probable that Rip (Cole Hauser), Ryan, Teeter, Walker, and Jake are all Texas-bound with the herd.
There's a good chance they will make an appearance at the 6666 ranch, where fans last saw Jimmy and his fiancée, Emily. But, the length of that hiatus is what has everyone shaking in their cowboy boots. As Paramount+ itself once posted on their official Instagram page: "Patience wearing thin." 😂
It's also worth noting that Josh Lucas, the actor who played a younger version of John Dutton in previous seasons, had some comments about the future of the show. Speaking to Deadline in March, the actor referenced a conversation that he had with Sheridan: "I did text Taylor a couple of months back and said, 'Hey man, I've loved working on the show so much. He's like, 'Well we'll be back," Lucas said.
To add some more confirmation, Lucas also went ahead and touched on the episode count for the series finale: "I think we're going to do 10 or so more episodes and wrap up the story." Sounds promising!
When is the return date for season 5 of Yellowstone?
Yellowstone season 5 part 2 (aka the final episodes of Yellowstone) will premiere on November 10, 2024, according to a social media post made by the show's official Instagram.
After what seems like a long pause, filming for the show has officially started. Yes, those last and final episodes are currently in production, according to a report from The Hollywood Reporter. Yellowstone was originally set to return in 2023, so while the new date may seem far away at least it's on the horizon.
Will Kevin Costner return for season 5 part 2?
As of June 20, it's official that Kevin Costner will not be reprising his role as John Dutton in the Yellowstone series finale. This has been confirmed by Costner himself in a video published to his Instagram account.
"Hi everyone," Costner began his statement. "I just wanted to reach out and let you know that after this long year and a half of working on Horizon and doing all the things that's required and thinking about Yellowstone, the beloved series that I love and that I know you love... I just realized that I'm not going to be able to continue season 5."
He added: "It was something that really changed me—I loved it. And I know you loved it. I just wanted to let you know that I won't be returning. I love the relationship we've been able to develop and I'll see you at the movies."
Back in May of 2023, it was first reported that Kevin Costner was leaving the series. His departure was primarily due to conflicts between Yellowstone's filming schedule and his upcoming personal passion project, Horizon: An American Saga.
However, Costner recently gave fans some hope in an interview with Deadline. The actor finally opened up by saying that he was willing to come back to the series.
"I'm very open to coming back," he said, "If they've got so many other things going on, maybe this circles back and it's a really cool two seasons... But if the writing is there, I will be there too."
Though, it seems that things just simply did not work out. Now, the question is, will John Dutton be taken to the train station? 😬
What happened in season 5 part 1?
The last time fans saw the ranchers, John Dutton's dynasty seemed on the verge of crumbling beneath his feet. Part 1 was packed with twisty Dutton-style drama that lassoed us in from the jump and ended with way too many cliffhangers. Beth (Kelly Reilly) finally forced her father John to see how unprofitable the ranch had become. John tasked Kayce with taking over ranch operations. Jaime (Wes Bentley) and John's battle of wills reached a fever pitch, thanks to Jamie's "friend" Sarah Atwood over at Market Equities. Oh, and half the main bunkhouse boys set off on a prolonged journey to save the herd.
It's really too bad there isn't more Taylor Sheridan content to consume while fans wait for season 5 part 2 (sarcasm, folks). You can binge a plethora of Sheridan shows and Yellowstone spinoffs, including 1883 and 1923.
Micaela Bahn is a freelance editorial assistant and recent graduate from Carleton College, where she majored in English literature. She loves running, photography, and cooking the best new recipes.
