Kevin Costner sticks to subject as Gayle King questions ‘Yellowstone’ exit: ‘This isn’t therapy’

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As a film enthusiast with a deep appreciation for the industry and its complexities, I find myself intrigued by the recent developments surrounding Kevin Costner‘s departure from “Yellowstone.” Having grown up watching Costner in iconic films like “Dances With Wolves” and “The Bodyguard,” I have always admired his versatility as an actor and director.

Kevin Costner is finally, albeit reluctantly, shedding light on his “Yellowstone” exit.

Kevin Costner, who played John Dutton III, the Montana rancher in the Emmy-nominated drama for its first four and a half seasons, made an Instagram announcement last week that he won’t be coming back for Season 5, Part 2. This news came over a year after rumors of his exit surfaced.

Currently, the esteemed actor-director, who has won a Golden Globe, is marketing his long-awaited western production “Horizon”. However, during this promotional phase, he’s faced with inquiries about the circumstances surrounding his departure from “Yellowstone”. Questions abound regarding potential conflicts with the show’s creator and director, Taylor Sheridan, that may have led to his exit.

“Gayle King from CBS Mornings asked Costner on Thursday if you both perceive yourselves as having large egos and significant power, currently engaged in a competition over who is more prominent?”

Costner responded, expressing his deep-rooted affection for the show from the start, stating, “It was just Taylor and I at the beginning.”

King persisted, inquiring about the relationship between the collaborators. “Isn’t it possible for you two to resolve your issues?” he suggested.

“Gayle, this conversation isn’t about therapy and we won’t delve into it on the show,” Costner replied. “Throughout my life and career, I’ve always been honest and met all my commitments.”

According to Costner, the real explanation for his leaving was that the show’s scripts no longer resonated with him. He expressed this viewpoint in a recent interview with People, stating bluntly, “The material wasn’t inspiring me anymore.”

In an earlier part of the “CBS Mornings” interview, Costner challenged statements made by Sheridan last year suggesting that “Horizon” was prioritized by Costner over other projects and that he intended to change directions.

Sheridan expressed hope to The Hollywood Reporter that the movie would be worthy of the investment and turn out to be a good one.

Costner shared with King that working on “Horizon” didn’t pose any issues for him. He expressed his desire to work more frequently than once a year, and felt the need to balance both “Yellowstone” and “Horizon” projects. However, schedules became tight as people were preoccupied with various deadlines and priorities. Ultimately, “Yellowstone” took precedence over “Horizon.”

He went on to explain, “However, I needed to align the situation properly. With 400 people looking on, I had to work quickly.”

Costner mentioned that in contrast to his first film as a director, “Dances With Wolves,” which won an Academy Award and required 106 days to shoot, the production of “Horizon” was completed in only 52 days.

In theatres on Friday, the initial chapter of “Horizon: An American Saga — Part 1” by Costner, the first installment of a planned four-part film series, became available to audiences. Costner has advocated for this project since 1988.

He expressed his belief that the idea was decent but unlikely to gain traction during an appearance on “CBS Mornings.” In response, he decided to create four additional ones and gauge reactions.

Costner expressed that others didn’t share his affection for “Horizon,” but he couldn’t help being drawn to it and developing a deep-rooted attachment.

In an engaging Thursday conversation for Josh Horowitz’s “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, Costner shared that he felt like he held a hidden gem in this film. His confidence in the project expanded as each cast member expressed their desire to join the production after reading the script.

“I knew we had something,” he said.

On Thursday, “Horizon” earned approximately $800,000 from over 3,000 cinemas as per studio reports, which is a modest beginning towards its predicted opening weekend earnings of around $10-12 million in the US and Canada. Filmmakers and production companies are optimistic that Kevin Costner’s fan base will boost ticket sales over the weekend.

“Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 2” arrives in theaters Aug. 16.

In the meantime, the last six episodes of “Yellowstone” are being actively produced and are planned for release on November 10. Previously, the initial half of “Yellowstone” Season 5 aired from November 2022 to January 2023.

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2024-07-18 19:44