Yellowstone Season 5 Release Window, Showrunner, Development Details And More
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Performer turned writer Taylor Sheridan has seen massive success in television with the Paramount Network series "Yellowstone." The show, which follows a family of powerful Montana ranchers, has remained a hit throughout its run. And that should come as no surprise since the series is full of non-stop drama, with various powers conspiring to get their hands on the Yellowstone ranch and the powerful Duttons doing everything they can to keep their land — even if that means murder.
So what can we expect in Season 5? Well, the fifth season of "Yellowstone" has been split in two, so we've already gotten a few answers. The first half of the season set the table for things to become truly intense when Season 5 Part II makes its big return. But when will "Yellowstone" ride back onto the big screen, which actors are turning to the ranch, and will this be the final hurrah for the Duttons? Read on for everything we know so far about "Yellowstone" Season 5.
When will Yellowstone Season 5 - Part II be released, and will it be the end of Yellowstone?
The first part of "Yellowstone" Season 5 made its two-hour premiere in November 2022, running for eight episodes. The midseason finale aired in January 2023, and the last we saw of the Duttons, it felt like the show was gearing up for big, bloody business. But when will all this simmering drama finally boil over?
While the second half of "Yellowstone" Season 5 was originally slated for summer 2023, that didn't exactly pan out. In February 2023, it was reported that showrunner Taylor Sheridan and the Paramount Network were going to end "Yellowstone" due to drama involving Kevin Costner. Reportedly, the actor wanted to spend more time working on his own project — the massive Western movie "Horizon." As a result, he wanted to spend far less time working on "Yellowstone."
The end of "Yellowstone" was then officially confirmed in May 2023, so when will we get to say goodbye to the Duttons? The second half — and final few episodes — of "Yellowstone" will hit the Paramount Network in November 2024, bringing a truncated end to an epic Western saga.
What is the plot of Yellowstone Season 5?
"Yellowstone" Season 5 Part I took a more leisurely pace than previous seasons, slowly setting the table for what's to come. We watched as Governor John Dutton crushed Market Equities' plans for a new hotel, Jamie Dutton announced impeachment proceedings against his father, and Beth Dutton began planning to buy her adopted brother a one-way ticket to the Train Station. And as it turns out, Jamie has similar plans for his sister.
Tragically, Season 5 kicked off with Monica Dutton losing her unborn son as husband Kayce struggled with the ramifications of his Season 4 vision. But despite the darkness, "Yellowstone" Season 5 Part I spent the majority of its time reveling in the cowboy way of life, with John overseeing the round-up and branding of all his cattle. Unfortunately, those salad days were brought to an end by an outbreak of brucellosis, forcing Rip Wheeler to take half the herd — and half the Yellowstone ranch hands — to Texas.
Meanwhile, Thomas Rainwater found his position of chairman being threatened by those unhappy with the way he's been running the Confederated Tribes of Broken Rock. On top of all that, we got a quick peek at Jimmy Hurdstrom's life on the 6666 Ranch, where he seems to be living the perfect existence with vet tech Emily.
It'll be interesting to see how all these interconnected stories play out in Season 5 Part II, especially with Market Equities' attack dog Sarah Atwood on the loose. We also suspect some big characters are going to bite the dust, as showrunner Taylor Sheridan told Entertainment Tonight, "If you look at everyone as a chess piece, in Season 5 it is impossible to keep playing the game without taking pieces off the board."
Who will star in Yellowstone Season 5 - Part II?
We expect that all the familiar faces will come back for Season 5 Part II. Well ... almost all of them. Unfortunately, one of the most important people in the series probably won't return for the grand finale.
It's been widely reported that Kevin Costner wasn't happy with his shooting schedule — largely because of the decision to break Season 5 into two chunks, thus taking more time to film — and that he allegedly tried to reduce the number of his filming days in Part II down to just a week. Costner is working on his own Western, the epic film series "Horizon," and his directing schedule was reportedly conflicting with his "Yellowstone" schedule.
Speaking about the behind-the-scenes drama during his divorce hearing from then-wife Christine Baumgartner, Costner said that Paramount wouldn't negotiate with him and lowballed him when it came to his pay for Season 5 Part II. The cowboy star even said he might sue the studio, alleging they owed him millions. In the aftermath of all this, Puck reported that Taylor Sheridan decided to move forward and write the last episodes of the series without John Dutton.
However, Costner is now saying he hopes he can return. Talking with Entertainment Tonight in April 2024, Costner explained, "I'd like to be able to do it, but we haven't been able to. I thought I was going to make seven [seasons], but right now we're at five. So how it works out — I hope it does — but they've got a lot of different shows going on. Maybe it will. Maybe this will circle back to me. If it does and I feel really comfortable with [it], I'd love to do it."
Who is the showrunner of Yellowstone Season 5
If you know anything about "Yellowstone," then you know who's calling the shots. The series is the brainchild of Taylor Sheridan, who's basically the king of TV at this point, with spinoff series like "1883" and "1923" and non-"Yellowstone" programs like "Tulsa King" and "Mayor of Kingstown."
So yeah, Sheridan is a man who likes to keep busy. That definitely applies to what happens behind the scenes on "Yellowstone." With exception of Season 2, he single-handedly penned every "Yellowstone" script, and that applies to the first batch of Season 5 episodes. And with John Dutton as governor and his children gearing up for war, we can also expect the next half of the show to really drive home what Sheridan says is the overarching theme of the series.
Speaking to The Atlantic, Sheridan explained, "This was one of the fundamental things I wanted to look at: When you have a kingdom, and you are the king, is there such a thing as morality? Because anyone trying to take your kingdom and remove you as king is going to replace your morality for theirs. So does morality factor into the defense of the kingdom? And what does that make the king? And at the end of the day, that's really what the show is about."
What is the future of Yellowstone?
Sadly, "Yellowstone" will end after Season 5, but that doesn't mean we're saying goodbye to this world of hard-bitten cowboys, political power struggles, and bloody gunfights. Instead, it looks like we're just shifting from one A-list actor to another.
The spirit of "Yellowstone" will live on with the spinoff "Yellowstone 2024," which will reportedly feature several players from the flagship show, along with a host of new characters. We don't know who will be making the jump, but perhaps we'll see the likes of Rip, Beth, and Jimmy again. We do know for a fact that once "Yellowstone" Season 5 is done, Kevin Costner is done too. So who will lead the new sequel series?
Well, it's been reported that Matthew McConaughey is in talks to be the face of the franchise moving forward. So perhaps the sequel series will take place in McConaughey's home state of Texas? That's just speculation on our part, but we do know several members of the Yellowstone did make a long trip south in Season 5 Part 1, that Jimmy spends his days working on the 6666, and that showrunner Taylor Sheridan actually owns that real-life ranch.
Regardless of what state the "Yellowstone" sequel ends up in, we're very interested to see McConaughey lead the franchise in a new, Costner-less direction.
Where to watch previous seasons of Yellowstone
If you're looking for the first half of Season 5, you can currently stream the show in a few places. First and foremost, it's available on Peacock, which has long been home to the "Yellowstone" series. (And if you're new to the show, every season is available on the streamer, so go ahead and catch up on all the Dutton drama.)
If you don't have Peacock, you can also find Season 5 Part II on fuboTV and DIRECTV. If you'd rather spend a few bucks and just own the first batch of episodes, Season 5 Part I is available on Google Play, Vudu, Amazon Video, and Apple iTunes.
You can also visit the Dutton family's past on Paramount+, with the two prequel series "1883" and "1923."