Kevin Costner slams ‘Yellowstone’ producers for ‘bullsh-t’ contract dispute: ‘I have taken a beating from those f–king guys’

John Dutton is having a stand. 

Kevin Costner, 69, has at last broken his silence about his rumored feud with “Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan, and his departure from the hit present in its fifth and last time. 

“I have taken a beating from all those f–king men and I know a whole lot of occasions the place it is coming from. I just elected not to get into that. But if you know me perfectly ample, I made ‘Yellowstone’ the initially precedence, and to insinuate something else would be improper. I did not initiate any of these items. They did,” Costner explained to Deadline in an job interview printed on Monday.

Costner was referring to the powering-the scenes strife on the hit Paramount ranch drama, which follows his character John Dutton, and his adult youngsters, including Kayce (Luke Grimes), Jamie (Wes Bentley), Beth (Reilly), and his son-in-regulation, Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser). 

In May perhaps 2023, information broke that Costner would not return to “Yellowstone” soon after Time 5. (This was right before Paramount mentioned that Year 5 would be the show’s last.) That exact thirty day period, it was declared that the demonstrate would stop with Year 5, main to speculation that the demonstrate was ending in part mainly because Costner was leaving.

There were being also reviews that Costner refused to be on set filming for extra than one week for the 2nd fifty percent of Year 5, which Costner’s attorney denied.

The first 50 percent of Year 5 concluded in January 2023. The final episodes are scheduled to air at an unspecified day in the tumble. 

Meanwhile, Costner has been filming his epic western motion picture “Horizon,” a passion task that he put his individual funds into. The movie hits theaters June 28. 

“My past conversation with Kevin was that he experienced this enthusiasm undertaking he wanted to immediate,” Sheridan instructed the Hollywood Reporter in June, referring to “Horizon.”

Sheridan’s account created it sound like Costner was prioritizing “Horizon” in excess of “Yellowstone.”

“He and the network were being arguing about when he could be finished with ‘Yellowstone.’ I claimed, ‘We can certainly do the job a timetable towards [his preferred exit date],’ which we did,” the creator explained.

Sheridan additional, “Once lawyers get concerned, then people don’t get to chat to each and every other and start off saying issues that are not true and attempt to shift blame based on how the press or public appear to be reacting. He took a great deal of this on the chin and I don’t know that any person warrants it. His film would seem to be a great precedence to him and he desires to change concentrate … I absolutely sure hope [the movie is] worth it.” 

Now, Costner is talking out and telling his aspect. 

“I will handle it,” he instructed Deadline.

“I didn’t have to answer the slings and arrows about the previous calendar year and a half, simply because I’ve just been hectic doing work. They’ve been very slick about maintaining their palms off nobody was ever on the record.”

Costner explained that “Yellowstone” had “first position” in his record of priorities. “I did not do ‘Horizon’ since I was weary of undertaking ‘Yellowstone.’ Which is a bulls–t story. I did not do ‘Horizon’ to contend with ‘Yellowstone.’ This [project] is some thing I have experienced a long time,” he claimed. 

Costner claimed he hasn’t “felt fantastic about it the last yr,” and extra that ongoing speculation about what was happening “wasn’t truthful.” 

He included, “And I do not know why they did not adhere up for me.”

The “Waterworld” star reported that he experienced negotiated a deal for 3 far more seasons — five, 6 and 7 — but the powers that be “made an additional contract” which turned into Year 5A and 5B.

His movie “Horizon” was supposed to “fit into the gaps” between filming “Yellowstone,” but, he stated, “They just kept going their gaps.”

When he was questioned if filming “Horizon” slash into his time filming “Yellowstone,” Costner claimed, “That’s not true. That’s a lie. That is not right. They despatched me absent for 7 times to go to London, to go to England all through Covid, to do [promotion]. They built the contract, and they picked the days.”

Costner stated that he “lived up” to the agreement he signed. 

“I gave them 25 of my days for this B thing in November and December [2022]. What they identified as 5B,” he reported. The full thirty day period of March [2023]. I didn’t shoot 5B. There was no script. And then items imploded.”

But, the difficulty was that there were “no scripts” for the final stretch of “Yellowstone” episodes, he alleged. 

“I left exactly when they desired, and it produced it difficult on me. It turns out they didn’t have the scripts for 5B. They necessary four additional days just to entire the very first 8 episodes,” he stated. 

“I still left early to give them what they needed to have a entire 8, and I felt terrible that the audience did not get 10.”

After that, he offered “a week” to the clearly show, he mentioned. 

“I really did not have that week to give them, but I said, I’ll do that. And then they [spun that] into, I only desired to operate a 7 days,” Costner added.

“Do you consider that’s who I am? I’ve hardly ever skipped a day of get the job done. I’ve in no way still left prior to satisfying my contractual obligations,” the Hollywood vet said. 

“A great deal of moments, I continue to be as significantly as I can. In truth, I worked the 9-working day extend just to consider to assist them in July [2022], when I was starting off [Horizon] August 1. I worked a Saturday and Sunday for them, and they even now wanted four extra times. I gave it to them, when I assumed, we have been going to do this so-termed B, but there was no B factor.”

Costner attributed the show’s lengthy delay to the lack of scripts.

“It all transpired since they shut down a person whole year, didn’t convey to any one and I didn’t work for 14 months,” he reported. “And they wrote these other three demonstrates,” he explained, referring to the “Yellowstone” spinoffs, “1883,” starring Sam Elliott, Tim McGraw, and Religion Hill, “1923” starring Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford, and “1944,” which has not premiered but.

“They don’t ever speak about that,” he reported. “And all they did was don’t forget we were releasing the collection in June, then it moved to Oct. They included by modifying their launch sample. That time was about a 14-thirty day period interval. I reported, “I can’t ever go as a result of that once again, the place you shut down for above a year and I really don’t have one thing in line to do.” All I did was shield myself.”

He extra, “I was straight up with [Taylor Sheridan], and he claimed what we would do and I believed him and we did not get there.”

Inspite of all the strife, Costner mentioned that he’s open up to returning to “Yellowstone.” 

“If the writing’s there and I’m content with it. I’m open up to that. But I took a beating about these guys not talking up for me and making it possible for mad stories to appear out,” he explained. 

“I’m not delighted about that. But if the crafting is there, I will be there much too. It is just that very simple: Paramount and 101 Studios mismanaged this. They experienced me for five, 6, and 7. I agreed to do it. And then they steadily began changing their structure.”

The Publish achieved out to reps for “Yellowstone” and Paramount for comment.