Yellowstone Finally Honors Kevin Costner After His Exit as John Dutton III – And It’s Clear He Was Missed

Weeks after Taylor Sheridan’s neo-Westen flagship wrapped up its run, Yellowstone finally acknowledged Kevin Costner, and the reception showed that he was clearly missed. The veteran actor fronted the Paramount Network’s mega-hit for its first four and a half season, but things went south behind the scenes causing him to exit. Yellowstone season 5, part 2 started with the murder of John Dutton III, which was really done to find a quick way to write such a central character. However, despite his absence, Costner and his character’s presence was felt throughout the series’ final episodes.

The reasons for Costner’s Yellowstone exit were more complicated than initially perceived. None of the parties involved, or even those who worked on the show while this went down have extensively discussed the matter, and it’s safe to say that it would be the case in the foreseeable future. Regardless of what really happened, there was no denying that John III’s physical absence during Yellowstone‘s send-off was disappointing, considering how important he was to the story. Fans made sure to express that when the show finally acknowledged Costner for the first time since he left.

Yellowstone Greeted Kevin Costner On His Birthday

It Marked The First Time That Yellowstone Acknowledged Costner Since John III Was Written Out

A month after its ending, which included John III’s funeral, Yellowstone‘s official Instagram account greeted Costner for his birthday. Granted that this was a standard procedure for the social media page, as it also posted similar messages for other cast members’ special occasions, but it was a big deal, considering how things ended between the actor and Sheridan. The greeting was accompanied by a promotional still of Costner as John III, with the post even tagging his official Instagram account. Check it out below:

It’s also worth noting that the Yellowstone social media page has previously acknowledged the unexpected death of the Dutton Ranch cowboy, Colby Mayhem. The grid still has a moment from the aftermath of his death, with Denim Richard tagged in it. Meanwhile, any kind of reference to John III’s death was tied to how it would move the plot forward and set up the eventual Yellowstone ending.

The Replies in Yellowstone’s Kevin Costner Birthday Greeting Proved That He Was Missed

Regardless Of What Happened Behind The Scenes, No One Could Discredit Costner’s Legacy

Yellowstone losing Costner was big. For months, some were holding out hope that he and Sheridan would come to an understanding. It even resulted in the extended hiatus between season 5’s parts 1 and 2. There were contradicting reports about the matter, but in the end, whatever the issue was remained unresolved. Subsequently, it was revealed that Sheridan had always planned for Yellowstone‘s ending, and it would have always included the death of John III. This somehow helped the show find a way out of such a tricky situation.

That said, the comments on Yellowstone‘s Instagram post about Costner’s birthday re-emphasized just how much he was missed. There was a mix of responses with regard to people’s opinions about his departure from the series, but overall, it conveyed that same sentiment. Ultimately, people didn’t really care about the drama. Instead, they were more disappointed that the show had to move on, even just for a few episodes, without John III. It’s difficult to blame them, however, since Costner was the original face and core character of Yellowstone.