After what has seemed like an endless delay, the second half of the fifth season of "Yellowstone" is finally on the way to Paramount Network. The Western drama co-created by Taylor Sheridan has encountered multiple obstacles to premiering new episodes since it last aired in January 2023, including the dual Hollywood strikes by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA, protracted negotiations with star Kevin Costner, and necessary shifts in creative direction.
The most notable result of those delays is that Costner will not return as Montana rancher John Dutton for the upcoming episodes and that those episodes will bring the series to an end. It's not clear yet how showrunner Sheridan will handle Costner's exit or wrap up the show, but fans will finally be able to check back in with the Dutton family soon. Here's everything we know so far about the second part of "Yellowstone" season 5.
'Yellowstone' season 5 part 2 release date
Paramount Network recently announced that the final six episodes of "Yellowstone" season 5 will premiere starting November 10. Those episodes will air on Paramount Network on Sundays at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Following various delays, production finally resumed on the fifth season in April 2024, putting the new episodes on track for their November premiere.
That will be nearly two years since the end of the first half of the fifth season, when the future of "Yellowstone" looked very different, and the season was set to resume much more quickly. Viewers who might need to refresh their memory about what happened in prior episodes can catch up with all previous seasons of "Yellowstone" on Peacock.
'Yellowstone' season 5 part 2 cast
The saga of Kevin Costner's possible exit from "Yellowstone" has dominated news about the show for the past year and a half, and as recently as April, Costner was claiming that he'd "love to" return to the show, fueling speculation about a possible final appearance for John Dutton.
Even after the show resumed production, Costner's status remained unclear until he confirmed on Instagram that he would not be returning, saying, "I just realized that I'm not going to be able to continue Season 5B or into the future."
Costner aside, the entire regular cast of "Yellowstone" is expected to be back for the final episodes, to wrap up the saga of the Dutton family ranch. Here's the official Paramount Network cast list for the second part of "Yellowstone" season 5.
- Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton
- Kelly Reilly as Beth Dutton
- Wes Bentley as Jamie Dutton
- Cole Hauser as Rip Wheeler
- Kelsey Asbille as Monica Long Dutton
- Brecken Merrill as Tate Dutton
- Jefferson White as Jimmy Hurdstram
- Forrie J. Smith as Lloyd Pierce
- Denim Richards as Colby Mayfield
- Ian Bohen as Ryan
- Finn Little as Carter
- Ryan Bingham as Walker
- Gil Birmingham as Chief Thomas Rainwater
- Jen Landon as Teeter
- Kathryn Kelly as Emily
'Yellowstone' season 5 part 2 plot
The biggest looming question about the new fifth-season episodes of "Yellowstone" is how they will handle the exit of Kevin Costner and thus John Dutton as well. With Costner not coming back even for a single scene, whatever happens to John will have to happen offscreen, whether that's a dramatic death or a graceful retreat to some unseen location. Given that the first half of the fifth season ended with John and his son Jamie each scheming to potentially eliminate the other, it wouldn't be a surprise if John meets a violent end sometime between episodes.
That will leave the rest of the Dutton family to pick up the pieces, and as much conflict as there has been between John and his children, the loss of the family patriarch will have huge repercussions for the ranch and the Dutton business empire. The final episodes are likely to focus on a power struggle among John's children Jamie, Beth and Kayce, along with their various allies.
That's not even getting into the question of political succession, since John was also the governor of Montana as of his last appearance. If he's murdered, that's political assassination, which in reality is a pretty big deal.
"Yellowstone" is essentially a soap opera, though, so the political implications are likely to be less important than the personal drama. While these episodes are meant to wrap up "Yellowstone" as a series, the "Yellowstone" universe is thriving, with a new season planned for prequel series "1923," along with previously announced spin-offs "1944" (another prequel) and "6666" (set on the nearby 6666 Ranch). Then there's the tentatively titled "2024," which will serve as a sequel to "Yellowstone," essentially continuing the series with a new lead character, possibly played by Matthew McConaughey.
Since the story isn't really coming to a close, there may be many loose ends left by the end of the final "Yellowstone" episode, set to continue on to the new series. As of now, main cast members Kelly Reilly, Luke Grimes and Cole Hauser are said to be in talks to appear in that series, so their characters will have more stories to tell. The Dutton family dynasty is far from over.
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