Montana-themed “Yellowstone” with Kevin Costner will end

“Yellowstone,” we hardly knew ye.

The popular television Montana-themed western “Yellowstone” with Kevin Costner will end this fall after five seasons and be replaced almost immediately by a sequel.

While it definitely has its fans, it also has its detractors. There are those who say it’s not an actual portrayal of Montana. Some folks resent that the series as brought in my people to the Treasure State, which is often called “The Last Best Place.”

Then-Gov. Steve Bullock visited the set in late 2017. He and other state officials asked questions about shooting in Montana and the production’s economic impact.

Costner told Bullock that the series would be “a postcard for Montana” and described how the “poetry” of a production can “change the face of a state,” The Missoulian reported at the time.
Bullock was asked Monday about the Costner leaving the show and the future of “Yellowstone.”

“Around here, the divides between pro- and anti-Yellowstone fans run about as deep as the Cat-Griz rivalry,” he said in an email. “Wherever you land, though, you can’t deny that the show has had a significant impact on our economy, in terms of spending, jobs and visitors. I look forward to seeing what the next chapter brings.”
But like any good drama, there’s some mystery involved.

The sequel, still untitled, will premiere in December on the Paramount cable network, which also televises “Yellowstone,” Paramount said Friday.

Behind Costner, who plays Montana rancher John Dutton, series creator Taylor Sheridan launched a phenomenon. The opening of its fifth season last November was seen by 12.1 million viewers on the night of its debut, more people than any other scripted series last fall — a remarkable feat for a show not on a broadcast network.

“We’ve been able to create a show that didn’t start out being popular but did it on its own terms,” Costner told The Associated Press last fall.
“Yellowstone” will wrap up with new episodes airing in November; how many was not announced on Friday. Those episodes haven’t been filmed yet, and it’s not clear whether Costner will participate following reports that he may want out of the series.

Paramount would not comment on that Friday, with a spokesperson saying only, “Kevin Costner is a big part of ‘Yellowstone’ and we hope that’s the case for a long time to come.”
David Glasser, CEO of 101 Studios, which produces “Yellowstone” with MTV Entertainment, said the new series “will be picking up where ‘Yellowstone’ leaves off in another epic tale.”

Paramount has denied published reports that actor Matthew McConaughey is signed to star in the sequel. But a spokesperson said Friday that McConaughey “is a phenomenal talent with whom we’d love to partner.”

“Yellowstone” has been big business in Montana. Not only “Yellowstone,” but its sequel “1923,” which uses Butte as a backdrop.

A study released in January by University of Montana’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research and UM’s Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research found the show “Yellowstone” brought in an estimated 2.1 million visitors and $730 million in spending to Montana in 2021.

The study found it has been a significant factor in marketing Montana. Centered on the fictional Dutton family ranch, “Yellowstone” is largely filmed in Darby, Hamilton, Missoula and the Bitterroot Valley, and it treated more than 12 million viewers to the scenery of Montana during its season-five premiere, a news release on the study said.

It also found the production of “Yellowstone” in Montana resulted in $44.5 million in state tax revenues directed in whole or in part to the general fund; 10,200-plus jobs across a wide spectrum of industries, including both tourism-related and other industries and $376 million in income received by Montana households.

The show has used the state Capitol as a backdrop. In August, about 2,000 people applied for the 300 available spots to appear as extras for filming at the Capitol.

They were paid $130 for the day and a $40 stipend for gasoline.

Staff writer Phil Drake contributed to this story by Associated Press Media writer David Bauder.