Rumors that Kevin Costner may depart the Paramount Network drama Yellowstone have been swirling for months — ever since a Deadline exclusive from February claimed that the show will end due to Costner's scheduling conflicts. However, at a Yellowstone panel at PaleyFest on April 1, Keith Cox — Paramount's president of development and production — gave a more positive outlook in regard to Costner's future on the show.
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"What I can say is our star, the face of our show and the executive producer, [we] are very confident he's going to continue with our show," Cox said at the event, at Los Angeles' Dolby Theatre, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The PaleyFest event itself brought up additional controversy surrounding the show. The panel was originally set to feature show creator Taylor Sheridan, Costner and fellow main cast members Kelly Reilly, Cole Hauser, Luke Grimes, Wes Bentley and Gil Birmingham. On the day of the event, however, none of these cast members showed up, nor did Sheridan. They were replaced by cast members Mo Brings Plenty, Dawn Olivieri, Josh Lucas and Wendy Moniz.
According to USA Today, fans who attended the event showed their disappointment during the panel, and many of them asked for refunds afterward. The no-show event also furthered confusion regarding the show's future, and the actors who attended didn't offer additional clarity and have not been given estimated filming dates. But we at least know that the second half of the latest season will not be airing this summer as fans originally thought.
Mo Brings Plenty shared that he is optimistic about Costner's return. "Kevin is very much a big part of the show and hopefully will continue to be for a very long time," he said.
Moniz added that the actors themselves are still waiting on news about the next season.
"We've just been waiting and listening and wanting to get back to work, basically," she told The Hollywood Reporter.
The initial Deadline report claimed that the current Yellowstone show as fans know it would end due to Costner's shooting schedule — namely, that he could only commit one week to shooting the rest of season 5. But Costner's attorney, Marty Singer, disputed this claim, calling it "an absolute lie."
"It's ridiculous — and anyone suggesting it shouldn't be believed for one second," Singer told Puck News. "As everyone who knows anything about Kevin is well aware, he is incredibly passionate about the show and has always gone way above and beyond to ensure its success."
It was also reported that Yellowstone would be replaced with a Matthew McConaughey-led spinoff. While it's unclear if this new show will replace Yellowstone, Chris McCarthy, the head of Paramount Media Network, confirmed that a spinoff show featuring McConaughey is indeed underway.
READ MORE: 'Yellowstone' Fans Think Josh Lucas Should Take Over John Dutton Role Amid Rumors of Kevin Costner Conflict
