Yellowstone fans, I see the light at the end of the tunnel. According to an official press release from the Paramount Network, the series’ return date has finally been set: Sunday, November 10, at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT. Paramount also reported in May that the cast was in Montana to film the remainder of season 5—often referred to as 5B. However, the network did not specify in the press release just what audiences will watch when Yellowstone airs again. Most likely, the season 5 finale will mark the series finale of the hit western. Either way, it’s good news!
As Yellowstone fans are aware by now, anything is better than where we left off. Back in January 2023, audiences were halfway through season 5 when the midseason finale ended with a significant cliff-hanger. Since then, we’ve received an endless cycle of news consisting of creator Taylor Sheridan and leading man Kevin Costner blaming each other for the delay. The offscreen battle effectively shut down the production and put the entire series on hiatus. Costner eventually pulled out of it entirely. Then Paramount announced its plans to end the show—with or without him.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Costner revealed that he’s still open to returning. “I’d like to be able to do it, but we haven’t been able to,” he said. “I thought I was going to make seven [seasons], but right now we’re at five. So how it works out—I hope it does—but they’ve got a lot of different shows going on. Maybe it will. Maybe this will circle back to me. If it does and I feel really comfortable with [it], I’d love to do it.”
Eagle-eyed detectives of the unfolding drama may recall this, but one of Costner’s alleged points of contention about returning for the season 5 finale was his belief that he’d negotiated payment for seasons 6 and 7—despite Paramount’s decision to end the popular western with season 5. He also reportedly has a clause in his contract that states that he retains final say over how his character, patriarch John Dutton, dies, should Sheridan choose to kill him off. Costner later explained that the delays were due to a lack of scripts. He said that Sheridan overworked himself at Paramount through too many shows and that the actor was pushed to film for extra days that he didn’t have while directing his new movie, Horizon.
The upcoming Yellowstone episodes continue Paramount’s expansion of the Sheridan universe following the prequel 1883 and the Harrison Ford–starring 1923. (Yes, it’s...confusing.) In the meantime, the network hopes that the finale will still come in guns blazing. Read on for everything we know about season 5 of Yellowstone.
The Yellowstone cast seems just as in the dark as the show’s devoted audience.
When Will Yellowstone Return?
According to Paramount, Yellowstone season 5 will resume on Sunday, November 10, 2024, at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT. The midseason finale, which aired on January 1, 2023, set the stage for the drama to come—and teased the violence that may befall our TV cowboys. So far, this season follows John, Beth, Rip, Jamie, and Kayce as they navigate a contentious gubernatorial election, a growing threat from outsiders, and one hell of a blackmail situation between two Dutton siblings. In the most recent episode, the potential for murder entered the fray.
What Will Happen in the Rest of Season 5?
Before the delay, Cole Hauser (whom fans will recognize as Rip Wheeler) told Hall Wines that the rest of season 5 was “wonderful.” Who knows what’s left of what the actor worked on, but Hauser stated, “The way we ended season 4—I can’t give too much away, but the way season 4 ends, I think the audience...will be happily surprised.” If that season’s shotgun wedding was the first treat he teased, could an official ceremony await Beth and Rip in season 5?
First, they have to survive. In an old teaser for the fifth season, the cast discussed how the series didn’t plan to “take [its] foot off the gas.” John wins the election for governor of Montana, fires nearly everyone, then makes Beth his new chief of staff. There’s nothing this family won’t do to save their ranch—according to Kelly Reilly (who plays Beth Dutton), the rest of the season was “gonna be bloody.” Jamie is planning to impeach his father and take the governorship, and it seems as if he’ll try to achieve his goal by any means possible. (Even murder!) Sounds like as good a tease as any for the final episodes. Buckle up, folks.
