Paramount Network finally released a first look at Yellowstone season 5B — and Us is sorry to report that Kevin Costner hasn’t made a surprise return to the show.
The network dropped five images, arranged in a collage, from the Western drama’s possibly final season on Thursday, August 29. The top snap showed Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) embracing as they looked out across the Dutton Ranch property.
Beth’s brother Kayce (Luke Grimes) appeared in another image, standing on a porch with his wife, Monica (Kelsey Asbille), and their son, Tate (Brecken Merrill). Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley), meanwhile, is seen giving a speech at a podium bearing the seal of Montana.
Another snap shows Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham) examining a set of plans with his right-hand man, Mo (Mo Brings Plenty), while the final image depicts Rip tucking someone in (seemingly Carter, played by Finn Little).
Yellowstone is set to return November 10 with the second half of its fifth season. After the first half wrapped up in January 2023, the show was originally set to return in November of that year, but it was delayed amid reports that Costner, 69, was feuding with cocreator Taylor Sheridan. While the duo denied any issues between them, production was further delayed because of the dual SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes.
Costner, who played ranch patriarch John Dutton, has since confirmed he won’t be coming back, and Paramount announced in May 2023 that the show would end with the second half of season 5.
Now, however, reports are circulating that season 5 isn’t the last one after all, and the show may return for season 6 with Hauser and Reilly. At this point, being a Yellowstone is causing as much whiplash as that horse who bucked Jimmy off its back in season 2.
There’s also an entirely new show to contend with: The Madison, which was previously in development under the title 2024. The spinoff is set to follow a family of New Yorkers that moves to Montana, with a cast led by Michelle Pfeiffer and Matthew Fox.
News of The Madison came one month after Paramount confirmed that the Yellowstone prequel 1923 would return for a second season. That series starred Helen Mirren, Harrison Ford and Brandon Sklenar and followed an earlier generation of Duttons as they made their way in Montana.
Yellowstone season 5B premieres on Paramount Network Sunday, November 10, at 8 p.m. ET.
