Kevin Costner makes heart-breaking announcement on ‘Yellowstone’ return

Kevin Costner has officially announced that he will not be returning to Yellowstone for its final episodes.

On Thursday, June 20, the Oscar-winning actor took to Instagram to confirmed his departure from the popular series, stating that he will not reprise his role as John Dutton for the second half of season five.

Reflecting on his time with the series, Costner expressed his affection for Yellowstone, acknowledging how much it meant to both him and the fans.

"Thinking about Yellowstone—that beloved series that I love—that I know you love," Costner began, revealing, "I just realized that I'm not going to be able to continue Season 5b or into the future."

"It was something that really changed me. I loved it, and I know you loved it," he asserted, adding, "I just wanted to let you know that I won't be returning."

"I love the relationship we've been able to develop, and I'll see you at the movies," the Yellowstone star concluded his video message.

The social media post was captioned, "An update for you guys. I’ll see you at the movies."

This announcement follows the June 20 update that the long-awaited second half of Yellowstone season five is set to premiere on November 10 on the Paramount Network.