Matthew McConaughey Kevin Costner John Dutton mashup Yellowstone
Credit: Getty, Paramount + screenshot

“Morale problems” and “frustration” are behind the shake-up.

Big changes are afoot in the Yellowstone franchise, folks! There are rumblings of trouble among the cast in season five, which is due to return this summer — and one star in particular.

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As a result, according to an exclusive report by our sister publication, Deadline, show creator and head honcho Taylor Sheridan, along with Paramount, are “moving to end their signature show in its current form.” That’s the bad news.

There’s also good news, however, in that it’s not all going to abruptly come to a halt at the end of the fifth season. “They are plotting a potential franchise extension to continue the Dutton saga, a new show with Matthew McConaughey in talks to star.” The report assures that several of the series’ big stars will move over to the McConaughey-led newcomer. Alright, alright, alright.
Matthew McConaughey

So, what’s behind the stunning turn of events? In a nutshell, Yellowstone star Kevin Costner allegedly only wants to spend a week shooting the second half of season five, which “has been a source of frustration for Sheridan and it is understood to be causing morale problems for the other stars of the show.”

Costner is currently busy directing and starring in another project he co-wrote. A western “epic” entitled, Horizon.

Thus far, McConaughey is still in negotiations and there is no information on whether the new series would take place at the Dutton Ranch. We could imagine it happening in the star’s home state of Texas, which, viewers will recall, is where Rip and company had taken part of the herd when the first half of season five came to a close.

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While we certainly do not like the idea of Yellowstone without John Dutton, a McConaughey-led series is an exciting prospect. Considering the success of Sheridan’s other spin-offs, 1883 and 1923 (which is headed for a second season), and the build-up to others, including a series entitled 6666 centered on the ranch where Jimmy now resides, we’re confident that we’ll be left more than satisfied as viewers. Share your thoughts on the shake-up in the comment section below.

Come on into the gallery below to see the best Yellowstone photo collection this side of the Oregon Trail!