After Kevin Costner’s untimely departure from ‘Yellowstone’, writer-creator Taylor Sheridan is under immense pressure to deliver for the much anticipated series finale.
Yellowstone, created by Taylor Sheridan, has quickly gained a reputation as one of the most beloved modern westerns on television. However, Taylor Sheridan, who is famous for works like the Sicario series, Hell or High Water, and Wind River, is under the radar of the fans after Kevin Costner’s departure from the show.
Taylor Sheridan is known for his meticulous writing process and for progressing the story with a definitive ending. However, due to Kevin Costner’s untimely departure from the show and reluctance to return, Sheridan might have to change his writing style. This apparent change in writing has fans worried since Sheridan has to shift from his original ending and work around Costner’s unavailability.
Taylor Sheridan Shares Insights About His Writing
Talking to Gold Derby, Taylor Sheridan shared some insights about his writing process; he stated,
“If I know how it ends and what I’m trying to say then getting there isn’t terribly difficult”.
Sheridan explained,
“What I find terribly difficult is having a world you want to explore, and a character you want to follow, and no idea where they’re going. So for me, I have to know exactly how it ends and then I work backward.”
However, after Kevin Costner’s decision to leave Yellowstone and dedicate his attention to his upcoming movie roles, Sheridan faces uncertainty about the show’s future.
Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2 will premiere later this year, serving as the finale of the beloved western. In the meantime, Sheridan is not only burdened with having a cohesive finale for the show but also tying up loose ends and subplots in half a season. This compact timeline, plus Costner’s reluctance to return to shoot even some finale scenes, could guarantee some hiccups in an otherwise stellar written premise.
Yellowstone – Last of Its Breed?
Similar to superhero fatigue, there was once Western fatigue in Hollywood due to an unprecedented number of Westerns. However, since then, many projects have attempted to replicate the success of the bygone era and have failed miserably.
Yellowstone broke that curse due to the brilliance of Taylor Sheridan, who decided to return to his roots after a stint in acting and directing. Sheridan initially pitched the first draft of Yellowstone to HBO in 2013 but was rejected before it was greenlit by Paramount in 2017.
Yellowstone focuses on the life of the Dutton family, led by John Dutton (Kevin Costner), owners of the largest ranch in Montana, the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, commonly called “the Yellowstone.” The series premiered on June 20, 2018, and received mixed reviews. However, the series grew in popularity and attracted a significant following in the later seasons.
Spin-offs & Future of Yellowstone
The success of Yellowstone led to the creation of a spin-off titled 1883 in 2021. The series serves as a prequel to the original series and follows an older generation of the Dutton family during the Old West and settling on the land, which eventually becomes the Yellowstone Ranch. Led by stars like Sam Elliot, Isabel May, Tim McGraw, and Faith Hill, the series received positive reviews with an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Another series titled 1923: A Yellowstone Story was green-lit in 2022 and focuses on the subsequent Dutton family through the Western Expansion and the Great Depression. The series also serves as the sequel to 1883 and features Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford.
The future of the Yellowstone series looks cloudy as Kevin Costner’s departure hinders a proper send-off for the neo-western. However, another prequel series, 1944, is in the works and will serve as the sequel to 1923. Moreover, after the talks of Costner’s exit, a series titled 2024 will be produced with Matthew McConaughey leading the star cast.
