Summary
Kevin Costner may just end up returning toYellowstonefollowing the massive flop of his new Western franchiseHorizon: An American Saga. Costner has already expressed that he was disappointed to learn that his belovedYellowstoneseries would be moving on without his involvement in the completion ofYellowstoneseason 5, part 2. During the summer of 2023,Costner sparked great controversy by abruptly leaving the Taylor Sheridan projectto focus on his highly-anticipatedHorizonWestern series, which turned out to backfire on the Oscar-winning director. Thebox office ofHorizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1fell far short of expectations.
The abysmal box office performance ofHorizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1forced the anticipated release date ofHorizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2to be delayedindefinitely.Costner ambitiously and unconventionally planned essentially back-to-back theatrical releasesof his new western franchise, with the second film originally scheduled to be released on June 22, 2025, followingChapter 1’srelease date of July 29, 2025. Even thoughKevin Costner doesn’t appear early on inHorizon-Chapter 1,Horizonwas still Costner’s first directorial effort since 2003’sOpen Rangeand should have drawn more of a box office presence.
Horizon’s Box Office & Sequel Delay Opens The Door For Kevin Costner’s Yellowstone Return
Costner isn’t likely to return but his Horizon flop may reopen the door
Costner has already expressed recently that there is no open door for him to return to theYellowstonefranchise. However,this was beforeHorizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1became one of the biggest box office flops of 2024thus far and its immediate sequel was pulled from its original August release date. These are terrible signs for Costner’s anticipatedHorizon 3andHorizon 4sequels, which are more likely than ever not to come to fruition at this point. Unfortunately for Costner, his best bet would be to return toYellowstonein some capacity to at least give that celebrated series the ending it deserves.
It’s no secret by now that Sheridan and Costner butted heads over how Yellowstone would close out its celebrated original series. The initial plan was to have the series run for at least six or more seasons with Costner fully on board. Costner’s dedication to bringing hisHorizonpassion project to life, however, ended up faltering those plans and led to months of uncertainty about the future of one of television’s most popular original series.Sheridan and Paramount announced a slate of new spin-offs and sequel seriesthat would do without Costner. Now thatHorizonis seemingly DOA, Costner may have to walk back toYellowstoneas John Dutton if they’ll allow it.
Kevin Costner’s New Western Franchise Is Already Doomed After $22 Million Performance
Costner’s vision for his Horizon franchise may be unattainable after the box office flop of its first installment and concern for its imminent sequel.
Everything Kevin Costner Has Said About His Yellowstone Exit
Costner recalls the whole ordeal as dramatic
Back in summer 2023, it seemed like nobody, not even Costner or Sheridan themselves, knew what was going to happen withYellowstone. After Costner’s abrupt departure, the creators ofYellowstoneannounced that it would be ending with part 2 of season 5. The sequel series starring Matthew McConaughey was then announced and Costner eventually was cast out of the picture, opting to spend more time working on his first two Horizon films. Now that the first one has become a box office failure and the second one was pulled from theaters,Costner’s next move seems as uncertain as ever.
Costner finally addressed hisYellowstoneexitin a recent interview. “It wasn’t tough. It was a necessary decision to say, ‘Hey, OK, I don’t want to really talk about this anymore. It’s time to move on. I gave this thing five seasons. I was really happy to do it. And I don’t need drama. So, let’s just take that drama away, let’s take the guessing [away]. The fans have been way too good to me. And my obligation is to go on and continue to make things that mean something to them.” He also confirmed that he will not be appearing inYellowstoneseason 5 part 2, but of course, circumstances have changed.
Why Kevin Costner Left Yellowstone
For anyone wondering why it took Kevin Costner so long to address the Yellowstone rumors, Screen Rant has the scoop.
Why Kevin Costner Needs To Feature In Yellowstone Season 5, Part 2
Costner may have burned his bridge back to Yellowstone
After making an enormous gamble withHorizonthat has yet to pay off, and likely will not based on its current box office projects, Costner must unfortunately search for redemption. It’s unclear whether the direct sequel ofHorizon: An American Sagawill ever hit theaters at this point and based on the current information, it seems like the bridge for Costner to go back toYellowstonemay have been burned. Theoretically speaking, it would be a no-brainer for Costner to wrap upYellowstoneproperly and let bygones be bygones between him and Sheridan. Ultimately, there may be too much in the way for that to happen.
5 Things That Must Happen In Yellowstone Season 5, Part 2 To Give The Show A Great Ending
In order for Yellowstone season 5, part 2 to close out the series on a high note, it needs to resolve several key plot threads in a satisfying way.
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1
Cast
Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 is set in 1859, following families as they settle in territories from Wyoming to Kansas. The narrative centers around a cowboy on the run with a prostitute and a young boy after a deadly confrontation, exploring the challenges of life in the Old West.
