The Wait Is Over: Yellowstone’s Final Season Premiere Date *Officially* Announced
It’s been more than a year since the Duttons were last on our screens, and, understandably, fans are wondering when Yellowstone is coming back for Season 5, Part 2. Well, television’s most dysfunctional family is returning to our TVs very soon.
Yellowstone is Paramount Network’s drama series following the Dutton family, the owners of the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, also known as The Yellowstone,” the largest ranch in Montana. The series is led by Kevin Costner, who plays patriarch John Dutton III, and revolves around the family’s drama at the ranch and the nearby Broken Rock Indian Reservation, Yellowstone National Park and developers.
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Yellowstone Season 5, Part 1 aired its finale on January 1, 2023. The series was set to return just a few months later. But due to a series of events — including Costner’s drama with creator Taylor Sheridan, as well as the Writer’s and Actor’s Strikes — that date has been significantly delayed. But have no fear, Yellowstone is coming back to our TVs and somewhat soon. Read on for when Yellowstone is coming back on for Season 5, Part 2.
When is Yellowstone coming back on?
Yellowstone will return on Sunday, November 10, 2024 for Season 5, Part 2, its final season. Paramount Network announced the release date in June 2024, a month after production began on the last season on May 20, 2024. Paramount Network originally announced that the series would return in November 2023 for its final season, however, that date has assumedly been delayed due to the Writer’s Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Luke Grimes, who plays Kayce Dutton, told Entertainment Tonight in July 2023 that filming hadn’t even started on the new season yet. “We have not [started filming the second half of season 5] because of the writers strike,” Grimes said, adding that the new sesaon will be centerd on “love and family,” as well as “really juicy drama.”
He continued, “I think we would be if it weren’t for that. But that takes precedence over everything. They got to get that all sorted, and then we’ll be getting after it.” He also teased to People what Season 5, Part 2 will be about. “Here’s the thing with Yellowstone and my character: Hope doesn’t happen,” he said. “I just learned to take it as it comes, and that’s it.”
Along with Yellowstone‘s Season 5, Part 2 release date, Paramount Network also announced in November 2023 that two more Yellowstone spin-offs—2024, a modern Yellowstone series, and 1944, a Yellowstone prequel—were in the works. The spin-offs are produced by MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios. The series join the Yellowstone franchise’s four other spin-offs: 1883, which aired on Paramount Plus from 2021 to 2022; 1923, which premiered on Paramount Plus in 2022; Lawmen: Bass Reeves, which premiered on Paramount Plus in 2023; and 6666, which is set to premiere on Paramount Network in 2023.
News of Yellowstone coming back for Season 5, Part 2 also came after CBS began airing Yellowstone the first time on the network starting on September 17, 2023. The decision to air Yellowstone reruns in the fall comes amid the Writer’s Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which has halted production on many of CBS’ regular primetime series, such as the NCIS franchise, the FBI franchise, Fire Country, Blue Bloods and The Equalizer.
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News of Yellowstone‘s final season also came after reports that Kevin Costner, who played John Dutton, was leaving the series due to his drama with creator Taylor Sheridan. Paramount Network is set to replace Yellowstone with a new spin-off led by Matthew McConaughey.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter in June 2023, Sheridan hinted that Yellowstone Season 5, Part 2 may be expanded from 6 episodes to 10 episodes. “If I think it takes 10 episodes to wrap it up, they’ll give me 10,” Sheridan said. “It’ll be as long as it needs to be.”
He also teased how Yellowstone Season 5, Part 2 will wrap John Dutton III’s story witout Costner, admitting that he was “disappointed” that Costner wouldn’t be in the series. “It truncates the closure of his character. It doesn’t alter it, but it truncates it,” he said. “I don’t do [beep]-you car crashes,” Sheridan said. “Whether [Dutton’s fate] inflates [Costner’s] ego or insults is collateral damage that I don’t factor in with regard to storytelling.”
Sheridan also told The Hollywood Reporter about how the idea for McConaughey to replace Costner came about. “[McConaughey] seems like a natural fit,” Sheridan said. “We had a few conversations over the years, and spitballed a few ideas. Then he started watching Yellowstone and responded to it. He was like, ‘I want to do that.’ And by ‘that’ he meant diving into a raw world clashing up against the modern world. And then I said, ‘Buddy, that we can do.’”
He also couldn’t confirm if the Yellowstone spin-off starring McConaughey will include characters and cast members from the original Yellowstone. “My idea of a spinoff is the same as my idea of a prequel — read into that what you will,” Sheridan said of the matter.
Check out our gallery below on when other primetime shows, including The Good Doctor and the One Chicago franchise, are coming back.
