Following the confirmed exit of Kevin Costner in Yellowstone earlier this year, the recently aired season 5B premiere wrote off his character John Dutton from its storyline.
For months, fans have been wondering how the series will address Costner's exit and whether they will kill off his character so that they can move forward with the story without his presence.
This article includes spoilers for Yellowstone season 5B premiere, so proceed with caution.
How Was John Dutton Written Off in Yellowstone Season 5B Premiere?
The season 5B premiere of Yellowstone began by immediately addressing the fate of John Dutton following the exit of Costner.
It was revealed that John was found dead in the bathroom of the Montana governor's mansion and a fatal gunshot wound killed him.
While they showed the corpse of the character, viewers were not able to see Costner's likeness on his face.
The remaining characters were shocked and devastated by John's unexpected demise. Beth immediately blamed Jamie for the death of their father as she felt that he had some connection to it.
Jamie went on to have a press conference where he tearfully announced the death of John to the public. His passing was ruled as a suicide.
Beth and Kayce were in disbelief that their father would commit suicide and there's a bigger picture behind his death. It is being set up as one of the main mysteries for the rest of the season.
Why Did Kevin Costner Leave Yellowstone?
Long-time fans know that Costner has been a staple of the series from the beginning. After all, it marked his major comeback to the screen after years of low-profile projects that are far from his movie stardom days.
The actor's decision to exit from the series mostly stemmed from his commitment to directing the five-picture Horizon: An American Saga series which he also co-writes, producers, and stars in.
If Costner stayed in Yellowstone, it would have caused a major scheduling conflict with the Horizon films. He eventually ruled out a return to the series.
Considering that John Dutton was killed off, there is almost zero possibility at this point for Costner to appear on screen again for the rest of the series' run unless he somehow decides to return to film a flashback sequence.
What do you think of John Dutton's death? Let us know in the comments!
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