Kevin Costner says 'Yellowstone' return isn't out of the cards: 'I would go back'
Kevin Costner put $38 million of his own money into passion project, "Horizon: An American Saga," but isn't quite ready to hang up his cowboy hat on "Yellowstone."
Kevin Costner hasn't ruled out a "Yellowstone" return even if his eyes are focused on "Horizon."
The Academy Award-winning actor admitted that John Dutton could very likely be part of his future despite his unique history with Taylor Sheridan.
Ahead of the release of the first installment of "Horizon: An American Saga," CBS Sunday Morning asked Costner if he would like to go back to "Yellowstone."
"Yeah, if I liked the story, where it was going, I would go back," Costner admitted.
He further clarified that he didn't have to leave the show to complete his movie, "Horizon."
"I did everything that I was contracted to do with 'Yellowstone,'" Costner said.
Fox News Digital was in the courtroom when Costner, 69, hinted at a possible legal showdown over money he is owed from his time on "Yellowstone" while fighting over child support payments with ex-wife Christine Baumgartner. Before a judge ruled in favor of the actor in September over monthly child custody payments, Costner spoke in depth about the drama surrounding "Yellowstone" season 5.
Costner seemingly had issues with the timing of filming "Yellowstone" as he wanted to focus on "Horizon." The first movie in the four-part saga was in post-production, a "critical" time in the process. "I'm here," Costner emphasized while on the stand.
"Somewhere along the line they wanted to change things," he said of the "Yellowstone" filming process. "They wanted to do 5A and 5B… affected ‘Horizon.’ I was going to do my movie ‘Horizon’ and leave that show, do my movie, then do B."
He added, "A show I was only doing once a year, I was now doing twice."
Costner explained that he had been offered $24 million to do seasons 5, 6 and 7 of "Yellowstone" before scheduling broke down and the show was canceled.
"I will probably go to court over it," Costner responded when asked by his ex-wife's lawyer if he had received a payout from the latest seasons of "Yellowstone."
He settled the divorce with Baumgartner and has since put all his time, money and efforts into "Horizon," which debuts on the silver screen June 28. The second part of the post-Civil War drama hits theaters less than one month later, on Aug. 16.
"I'm OK. I'm like a wagon headed west, too," Costner told CBS. "I've just run into everything that you can imagine. I have to hold onto the rope because I have this pact with the audience that I have to give them something. I want them to go West."
Costner released the first trailer for the four-part, post-Civil War drama in February and showcased the Wild West frontier his name has become synonymous with for decades, dating back to his first directorial stint on "Dances with Wolves."
WATCH: KEVIN COSTNER "HORIZON" TRAILER
In addition to starring in the feature film, Costner also directed "Horizon," based on a script he co-wrote with John Baird. Kevin wasn't the only Costner to get a credit in the movie, though. His 15-year-old son, Hayes Logan Costner, not only made his acting debut but was also the inspiration for his dad to finally make the movie.
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"I saw Hayes at 13, and I said ‘I gotta make this movie.' I said I want him in that movie, and I'm gonna make it. That was it," Costner said.
While the premise of "Horizon" wasn't explained in the initial three-minute trailer, Costner highlighted the beauty of the American Southwest before zeroing in on the ensemble cast, which included Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Giovanni Ribisi, Jena Malone and Abbey Lee.
Michael Rooker, Danny Huston, Luke Wilson, Isabelle Fuhrman, Jeff Fahey, Will Patton, Tatanka Means, Owen Crow Shoe and Ella Hunt round out the star-studded roster.
He's remained committed to telling the real stories of the west, even if those tales are a little more difficult to hear.
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"These towns, they weren't like mushrooms – they didn't just pop up. They were fought for," Costner said. "This land was contested, and it was always an ugly finish for the Native Americans, always. And so, those are themes – while I'm embarrassed by that, kind of ashamed of how it went down, I'm also not afraid to talk about it. I like it."
The film came with a hefty price tag, though, and set Costner back more than $20 million in out-of-pocket expenses, which came to light in court documents after his ex-wife, Christine Baumgartner, filed for divorce in May 2023 after 18 years of marriage.
Costner later clarified that the sum was much greater.
"I know they say I've got $20 million of my own money in this movie," he told GQ magazine. "It's not true. I've got now about $38 million in the film. That’s the truth. That’s the real number."
He's still raising money for parts three and four and is just as committed to finishing what he started more than three decades ago.
"If I hear the word billionaire one more time, I think I'm just gonna roll over because I just don't have that money and I believe in this enough," Costner said. "You know all these guys, all these scaredy-cats, it's probably why they have so much because they're smart, and they hold on to it. I'm not that. I just really believe in the idea of what this can be, and so I just keep pushing it."