Is Matthew McConaughey heading to Montana? Rumors have been swirling that the True Detective alum will be joining the cast of Yellowstone amid ongoing drama surrounding the show’s lead actor, Kevin Costner. Keep reading for the latest updates about the show’s casting shakeup. 

Is Kevin Costner Leaving ‘Yellowstone’?

The Field of Dreams star has managed to stay quiet about the drama between himself and the show’s production. However, when it comes to his future with the fan-favorite series, Paramount Network released a statement saying there is “no news to report” as of now.

Rumors about the actor’s fate on the series started swirling in February 2023 when Deadline reported that sources have shared disputes over Kevin’s shooting schedule that could lead to the series’ end. The publication also reported talks of a new series in which Matthew McConaughey was set to star. However, nothing had been confirmed at the time. 

The following month, ViacomCBS president Chris McCarthy told The Hollywood Reporter that Yellowstone “wouldn’t be what it is today without Kevin and we hope that that stays for a long time to come.”

While the cast and crew have remained tight-lipped about the on-set drama, a source close to production told Entertainment Tonight that Kevin would not be returning to the hit series after season 5. 

Is Matthew McConaughey Joining ‘Yellowstone’?

“Kevin Costner is a big part of Yellowstone and we hope that’s the case for a long time to come,” a spokesperson for the series previously told Deadline. “Thanks to the brilliant mind of Taylor Sheridan, we are always working on franchise expansions of this incredible world he has built. Matthew McConaughey is a phenomenal talent with whom we’d love to partner.”

In March 2023, during his interview with THR, McCarthy revealed that the Wedding Planner actor would star as the lead in a new spinoff in the Yellowstone franchise. The following month, Yellowstone star Dawn Olivieri teased to Us Weekly that she would join the yet-untitled McConaughey spinoff series if she had the chance to join any of the spinoffs. 

Is ‘Yellowstone’ Ending?

In April 2023, Costner, Sheridan and the rest of the cast were noticeably absent from PaleyFest where the Hidden Figures star was slated to attend the panel, a screening of the hit series and a Q&A with his costars. 

That same month, it was reported that season 5 would be the show’s last following “friction” on set, according to the New York Post. “It’s the same as with any showrunner and big star,” a source told the outlet, adding that following the second half of the fifth season Yellowstone would be ending.