Costner hasn’t shied away from his share of potential controversies in the world of Yellowstone, with recent reports suggesting that filming of his separate four-part Western film series Horizon might be causing issues with the creative team.
The same can be said for his onscreen character, with his official reason for leaving the show after five seasons yet to be confirmed.
However, there is something in Costner’s Yellowstone contract that might let on more information than fans have realized.
John Dutton’s fate might be revealed by Kevin Costner’s Yellowstone contract
According to reports from Puck (via People), Costner’s Yellowstone contract may have had something called a “moral death” clause included in it.
In a nutshell, the clause would essentially dictate how John Dutton could or could not be killed off.
The report suggests that alongside general guidelines for how Dutton might exit the show, the contract also could dictate which methods the character could be dispatched with, alongside extra prohibitions that could be placed on others.
It also suggests that Costner had a particular set of demands around negotiating a potential return to Yellowstone. These allegedly include wage increases, flexibility around shooting schedules, and the right to review, veto, or approve every new script.
Though discussions around John Dutton supposedly broke down soon after these demands were introduced, series creator Taylor Sheridan did publicly address the character’s ending while speaking to The Hollywood Reporter.
“I’m disappointed. It truncates the closure of his character. It doesn’t alter it, but it truncates it,” he stated.
“I don’t do f*ck you car crashes. Whether [Dutton’s] fate inflates [Costner’s] ego or insults is collateral damage that I don’t factor in with regard to storytelling.”
