Is Yellowstone ending? Latest cancellation and franchise news

But the arrival of the new set of episodes, which could potentially be the last, marks a bittersweet moment for fans.

Since premiering in 2018, the Western drama series, which revolves around the Dutton clan led by Kevin Costner’s John Dutton III, has become a smash hit among critics and fans alike.

Unfortunately, the show's lead Costner is absent from the new run, leaving the future of the show somewhat unclear.

So, will the second half of episodes be the last ever instalment of Yellowstone? Read on for everything you need to know about Yellowstone ending.

Is Yellowstone ending?

Paramount previously announced that a sixth season was scrapped in favour of a sequel series led by Matthew McConaughey along with several original Yellowstone cast members.

But that appears to be all over now and, according to Deadline, a new spin-off led by Kelly Reilly, who plays Beth Dutton, and Cole Hauser, who portrays her husband, Rip Wheeler, is on the way.

Rumours circulated over summer that the duo would take over as co-leads from former star Coster for a sixth season, but it seems that talks have morphed into a spin-off.

Deadline also reported that a sixth season hasn't been ruled out, but that the focus is currently on this new spin-off.

At the season 5 premiere in New York on Thursday (7th November), Hauser said he was interested in continuing the show with Rip and Beth.

Speaking about the characters, he told The Hollywood Reporter: "You can go on forever about these two. There’s no walls when it comes to them, no limits. As long as Taylor wants to write something special, I know Kelly and I would be interested to do it."

When pressed about the possibility of a sixth season, cast member Gil Birmingham remained tight-lipped, but did talk about season 5 part 2 ending on a cliffhanger.

"The lives of these characters will still go on [even if it's not renewed]," said Birmingham, who plays Montana tribal chief Thomas Rainwater.

"So how we come to the place that we do for the resolution on this season is a little bit of a cliffhanger, a lot of a cliffhanger. We don't want to spoil it for the fans, so tune in and find out."

When pressed on the future of the show, Birmingham added that they're "just focused on this season".

"We take it one season at a time and hope that they [the fans] stay with us and that they're entertained as much as they have been all along.

"We're just so glad that the fans have such an appetite still for the show after these many seasons."

What could a Beth and Rip Yellowstone spin-off be about?

The season 5 finale certainly paves the way for a possible Beth and Rip spinoff as they were both awarded fresh starts.

After selling their land back to the Indigenous people and freeing themselves of the generational Dutton legacy, Beth and Kayce were seen embracing their new beginnings: Kayce at the former Yellowstone’s East Camp, and Beth with Rip in their new Ranch.

Beth also vowed to avenge the murder of their father, John Dutton, and murdered their own brother, Jamie Dutton, who had been behind John’s death, paving the way for another potential storyline.

Why did Kevin Costner leave Yellowstone?

After reports emerged of scheduling issues and drama between Costner and the show’s creator Taylor Sheridan, the actor confirmed that he would not appear in the second half of season 5 back in June 2024, saying in a video posted on his Instagram: "I want to reach out and let you know that after this long year and a half of working on Horizon and doing all the things that’s required, and thinking about Yellowstone, that beloved series that I love, that I know you love, I just realised that I’m not going to be able to continue season 5B or into the future."

He continued: "It was something that really changed me. I loved it. And I know you loved it. And I just wanted to let you know that I won’t be returning, and I love the relationship we’ve been able to develop and I’ll see you at the movies."

In an interview the day following the release of the video, he told USA TODAY that he was tired of holding out hope for a Yellowstone return.

"Simply with all the questions that were being asked (about Yellowstone), the longer I thought about that ... I just wanted to say that this is a stepping-off point," he said.

"Whatever I'd hoped for maybe was not in the cards. I don't want to keep saying, 'Yeah, I hope I can do it.' That's drifted to a place that I don't think is realistic anymore."

The news that Costner had hoped to return for the final part of the fifth season came as a surprise to many fans given the rumoured rift between the actor, Sheridan and Paramount.

Deadline reported in February 2023 that Costner and Sheridan had clashed over scheduling conflicts, alleging that after season 5 was split into two parts, the actor had only wanted to spend one week shooting the second half and the network had rejected his proposed shooting schedule.

Costner's attorney, Martin Singer, denied the claims, telling Puck.News: "The idea that Kevin was only willing to work one week on the second half of season 5 of Yellowstone is an absolute lie. It’s ridiculous — and anyone suggesting it shouldn’t be believed for one second."

The actor also denied the claims, telling TODAY.com back in May that he honoured the "truth of the contract", claiming he never shot season 5 part 2 because there was no script.

He added that the public had been "reading one version [of this behind-the-scenes drama] for a year and a half".

Yellowstone is available to stream on Paramount Plus. Get a seven day free Paramount Plus trial at Amazon Prime Video.

Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.