'Is John Dutton gone? Yellowstone's future in question'

The "Yellowstone" finale is approaching quickly, and viewers wonder if Kevin Costner will reappear as John Dutton. Although the actor has officially left the cast, Christina Voros hinted in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that his character still plays a significant role in the upcoming episodes.

Voros highlighted that his involvement is crucial to the series and expressed concern that revealing additional details could undermine the extensive effort invested in script editing. When questioned about the strategy without Costner, the director, who helmed four of the last six episodes, mentioned that they never truly considered a scenario without him.

The fifth season's production was kept secret on a Marvel level. Voros revealed that the scripts were so heavily edited that "half of the cast doesn't know what will happen." She became a "gatekeeper" herself, ensuring that actors received only the scenes they were in, which helped preserve genuine reactions and protect the plot from leaks.

The series returns at a critical moment when John Dutton faces a climactic family conflict. John and his daughter Beth are on one side, and on the other is his son Jamie, which promises an intense battle. "It's always about the family coming together to fight for the Dutton land and name," Voros emphasizes.

However, the director doesn't want the finale to be too predictable. "You want viewers to crave more. That type of ending must be satisfying, but she notes that you don't want people to stop missing Beth, Rip, or Kayce," she notes. Voros admits that it's hard to please everyone, but leaving room for speculation is what's exciting.