Kevin Costner's role in Yellowstone season 5B explained after fans fume at John Dutton's 'return'

Yellowstone fans were left fuming after Kevin Costner's John Dutton was shown in the latest trailer for the series, as it was confirmed the actor would not be returning for season 5

Yellowstone fans were left reeling after the latest trailer dropped, featuring Kevin Costner as John Dutton and sparking a wave of speculation. The teaser begins with a chilling line from John: "Everyone has forgotten who runs this valley. Time to remind them."

Despite suspicions that the scene might be recycled from an earlier season, some viewers were convinced that Costner would indeed grace the final six episodes. Disappointment bubbled up on Reddit, with one fan venting: "So they're gonna pretend John is in this season (he's in the trailer a few times)... We all know it's not gonna be the same without Kevin."

Back in September, Costner opened up about the future of the "unfinished" series sans John Dutton. Chatting with ET, he mused: "Obviously, it can go on, you know, I have children. So, you make the story about them."

Hints suggest that Costner's departure from Yellowstone may not be set in stone. He teased: "Who knows, some things have a way of circling back. You know, I haven't seen that dust trail coming toward me."

"But I've always been open to it when I started. Five seasons was a lot for us to do. And I think that story is not finished."

After months of rumours, Costner finally put the matter to rest by confirming his exit from the hit series, meaning he won't appear in upcoming episodes.

Yet, how John Dutton will bow out remains a tightly kept secret.

Kelly Reilly, famed for her role as Beth Dutton in the hit series, opened up to Entertainment Weekly about the show's climax, revealing that John's absence was always part of the master plan. She explained: "The absence was part of the ending. That's not something that we had to pivot, that was already written into the tapestry of the story."

She added, "It was always going to happen, it just happened a little bit differently."

Kevin Costner took to Instagram with a heartfelt video message to his fans, sharing his new focus on 'Horizon: An American Saga', his upcoming Western film series. The Hollywood icon shared: "I just want 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."

He continued, reflecting on the beloved 'Yellowstone': "Thinking about Yellowstone, that beloved series that I love, that I know you love. I just realized that I'm not going to be able to continue, season five or into the future."

Costner concluded with a touching farewell: "I loved it and I know you loved it. I just wanted to let you know that I won't be returning."

He signed off by saying, "I love the relationships that I've been able to develop. And I'll see you at the movies."

Yellowstone returns to Paramount Network on Sunday, November 10 at 8pm. Fans in the UK can watch on Paramount Plus from November 11.