Is Kevin Costner’s John Dutton Leaving Yellowstone?

The Dutton family forms the body of ‘Yellowstone,’ and it won’t be an overstatement to say that Kevin Costner’s John Dutton is at the heart of it. The veteran actor has excelled in the role of the Dutton family patriarch by bringing a sense of raw comfort and gritty determination to the character. John is easily one of the most popular characters on the show and is involved in almost all of the major storylines.

Therefore, it is natural for fans to fret over the future of the character and its actor. In recent times, fans have grown concerned that Costner might be preparing to exit the hit series. If you are one of the worried fans looking to find out about Costner’s future on the show, here’s everything we know!

What Happened to John Dutton in Yellowstone?

John Dutton is the hardened leader of the Dutton family and the owner of the Yellowstone Ranch. He is a hard-working man who considers his ancestral ranch his family’s legacy and wishes for his children to carry it forward. Aside from being a seasoned rancher, John also serves as the Livestock Commissioner of the Montana Livestock Association until he is replaced by his son, Kayce, in the third season.

John lives by his code of family above all and is prepared to die to protect his loved ones. In the first season, John is diagnosed with colon cancer but later recovers from it. In the second season, it seems like John’s cancer is remerging, but it turns out to be a ruptured ulcer. In the third season finale, the Dutton family is the target of a series of attacks on their life. John is shot in the chest, and the episode ends without clarifying his fate.

Is Kevin Costner Leaving Yellowstone?

The cliffhanger ending of the show’s third season paved the way for fan speculation that actor Kevin Costner, who essays the role of John Dutton, is exiting the series. The cliffhanger certainly set the stage for the character to be written off in an emotional manner that would have severe ramifications for the other characters.

However, that does not appear to be the case. The fourth season premiere of the show confirms that John is alive. After spending a few months in a coma, John recovers and is back to being his usual self in no time. Costner is a series regular and is expected to appear throughout the fourth season. However, the actor’s future on the show beyond season 4 remains uncertain.

Recently, Costner worked as a co-writer on the pilot episode of ‘National Parks Investigation.’ Fans became worried that Costner was preparing to jump ships, but the pilot did not land a series order. However, Costner’s involvement in the pilot suggests that he may be privy to pursuing other projects. The 66-year-old actor has also expressed that the filming of ‘Yellowstone’ requires him to stay away from his family.

The ‘Let Him Go‘ star also serves as executive producer on the show, indicating that quite a lot of his time is dedicated to the Western drama series. Therefore, Costner might opt to step away from the role of John Dutton in order to spend more time with his family. Although Costner has yet to publicly express a desire to quit the series, only time will tell what the future holds for John Dutton on ‘Yellowstone.’ For now, fans can look forward to watching Costner as the Dutton patriarch in the remaining episodes of the show’s fourth season.

Read More: Who is Roarke in Yellowstone? Why Did Rip Kill Roarke?

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