Taylor Sheridan‘s crowd-pleasing series Yellowstone is officially coming to an end with Season 5. The news comes just days after it was announced that Kevin Costner would be leaving the series, in a move that was expected, but still shocking considering the actor was the lead of the series. Costner is moving on to star in and direct his own western, Horizon, which has been a long-awaited passion project of his. While the Duttons’ story seems to be coming to a close in Yellowstone, fans of the era-spanning franchise will be relieved to learn that the series is still on track to get a straight-to-series sequel, which will reportedly star Matthew McConaughey, though that casting is not yet official.

Yellowstone‘s flagship series will be coming to an end beginning in November. The series, which saw Costner as John Dutton, an heir to the Yellowstone Ranch, who often was at odds with his children over the workings of the ranch and who was really in charge, brought audiences into the world of writer Sheridan and was such a hit that the show had subsequent sequels off it and garnered Sheridan a world of creation on Paramount+ with shows like Tulsa King and Mayor of Kingstown outside of his Yellowstone universe.

Sheridan has no shortage of projects to helm, with his David Oyelowo-led Yellowstone spin-off, Lawmen: Bass Reeves, actively adding big names like Donald Sutherland to the cast; his CIA crime drama Special Ops: Lioness recently unveiling a first look at Zoe Saldaña and Nicole Kidman in action; his Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren starrer, 1923, earning a second season; and his Sylvester Stallone-led Tulsa King nabbing a Season 2 renewal shortly after its record-making debut.

Things Are Changing at Yellowstone Ranch

Rumors of Costner‘s departure began at the top of the year, shortly after the series earned its Season 5 release date. While it is sad that this will definitively be the end for Costner as John Dutton, this is clearly not the end of Yellowstone or the Dutton family as a whole. With the success that shows like 1883 and 1923, which are outside of the main Yellowstone storyline, a direct spin-off sequel to the series leaves a lot of room to keep the cast of the characters that audiences have fallen in love with.

It seems like the people behind the series are just as excited about what the future holds for the franchise as fans are this morning. Chris McCarthy, President and CEO of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios shared his reaction to the news in a statement from the studio, saying:

“Yellowstone has been the cornerstone on which we have launched an entire universe of global hits – from 1883 to Tulsa King, and I am confident our Yellowstone sequel will be another big hit, thanks to the brilliant creative mind of Taylor Sheridan and our incredible casts who bring these shows to life.”

Those sentiments were similarly echoed by David Glasser, CEO at 101 Studios, who shared, “The Dutton story continues, picking up where Yellowstone leaves off in another epic tale. We are thrilled to bring this new journey to audiences around the world.”

Stay tuned for the imminent casting news for the Yellowstone spin-off.

via Collider