The Major League Baseball playoffs are here, which means the Boys of Summer are ready to battle for the ultimate prize – those oversized, coveted World Series rings.
What better time to look back at some of the very best baseball movies ever made? Some moved us or made us laugh. Others provided powerful lessons on the sport’s cultural impact.
All are worth a rewatch this time of year — in between playoff games, of course.
<h2>&#8220;The Natural&#8221;</h2>
<div id="attachment_978629" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-978629" class="wp-image-978629 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-53-AM-3445-407x576.jpg" alt="Robert Redford. &quot;The Natural.&quot; copyright 1984 TriStar Pictures, Inc. All Rights Reserved. IMDB." width="407" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-53-AM-3445-407x576.jpg 407w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-53-AM-3445-212x300.jpg 212w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-53-AM-3445-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-53-AM-3445-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-53-AM-3445-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-53-AM-3445-scaled.jpg 1810w" sizes=" (max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" />Copyright 1984 TriStar Pictures, Inc. All Rights Reserved. IMDB.</div>
This 1984 keeper casts Robert Redford as an aging ballplayer attempting an unlikely comeback. Those &#8220;natural&#8221; talents helped him get this far, but his complicated past suggests that even God-given skills may not be enough. The all-star cast includes Robert Duvall, Glenn Close, Kim Basinger, and Richard Farnsworth under the direction of Barry Levinson (&#8220;Diner&#8221;) in his cinematic prime. &#8220;The Natural&#8221; packs plenty of magical realism into the narrative, focused on redemption and our all-American passion for second acts.
<h2>“Bull Durham”</h2>
<div id="attachment_978637" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-978637" class="size-large wp-image-978637" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-58-AM-8592-407x576.jpg" alt="Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon. Bull Durham. Copyright 1988 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved. IMDB." width="407" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-58-AM-8592-407x576.jpg 407w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-58-AM-8592-212x300.jpg 212w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-58-AM-8592-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-58-AM-8592-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-58-AM-8592-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-58-AM-8592-scaled.jpg 1810w" sizes=" (max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" />Copyright 1988 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved. IMDB.</div>
Kevin Costner at the dawn of his legendary career. Susan Sarandon selling a sultry big-league “whisperer” like no other. A gangly Tim Robbins playing an &#8220;aw-shucks&#8221; pitcher coming into his own. There’s so much to love about this baseball rom-com, from the inspired dialogue to the bittersweet story of a minor league lifer coming oh, so close to The Show only to be upstaged by the new kid. Director Ron Shelton’s affinity for sports movies played out over multiple films (“Blue Chips,” “Tin Cup”), but he got the elixir just right with this 1988 gem.
<h2>“Field of Dreams”</h2>
<div id="attachment_978645" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-978645" class="size-large wp-image-978645" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-01-AM-2743-407x576.jpg" alt="Field of Dreams. 1989. Universal Pictures. Gordon Company. All rights reserved. IMDB." width="407" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-01-AM-2743-407x576.jpg 407w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-01-AM-2743-212x300.jpg 212w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-01-AM-2743-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-01-AM-2743-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-01-AM-2743-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-01-AM-2743-scaled.jpg 1810w" sizes=" (max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" />Field of Dreams. 1989. Universal Pictures. Gordon Company. All rights reserved. IMDB.</div>
The 1989 sports fantasy has an almost spiritual pull on audiences, particularly sports fans. And understandably so. Once again, Costner is front and center in a story that weaves the national pastime together with fathers and sons, heartland USA, and redemption arcs.
The sublime cast, including Ray Liotta, Burt Lancaster (his final big-screen role), and James Earl Jones — who gives gravitas to the ultimate baseball movie.
“If you build it, they will come.” Try fighting back the goosebumps whenever that line is uttered. If the film isn’t enough, there’s a <a href="https://www.fieldofdreamsmoviesite.com/visit">Field of Dreams movie site attraction</a> in Dyersville, Iowa, for movie lovers.
<h2>“42”</h2>
<div id="attachment_978647" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-978647" class="size-large wp-image-978647" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-07-AM-3910-407x576.jpg" alt="42. Warner Bros. Legendary Entertainment. 2013. All rights reserved. IMDB." width="407" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-07-AM-3910-407x576.jpg 407w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-07-AM-3910-212x300.jpg 212w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-07-AM-3910-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-07-AM-3910-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-07-AM-3910-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-07-AM-3910-scaled.jpg 1810w" sizes=" (max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" />42. Warner Bros. Legendary Entertainment. 2013. All rights reserved. IMDB.</div>
This overlooked 2013 film recalls one of the sport’s most impactful players. Sure, Jackie Robinson broke the “color barrier” by becoming baseball’s first black player, but it&#8217;s how he did it, with grace, class, and nonviolence in his heart, that made him an icon.
The late, genuinely great Chadwick Boseman brings Jackie to life, capturing both the player and the man behind the moment. Harrison Ford’s supporting turn as Branch Rickey, the Dodgers’ owner who took the biggest risk of his professional life by inserting Robinson into the lineup, is the film’s most welcome surprise.
Had “42” been made a few years later, it might have been stained by woke sentiments. Instead, it’s a fitting tribute to an American hero.
<h2>“Moneyball”</h2>
<div id="attachment_978651" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-978651" class="size-large wp-image-978651" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-11-AM-4954-407x576.jpg" alt="Moneyball. 2011. Sony Pictures Entertainment. Columbia Pictures. Scott Rudin Productions. Michael De Luca Productions. All rights reserved. IMDB." width="407" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-11-AM-4954-407x576.jpg 407w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-11-AM-4954-212x300.jpg 212w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-11-AM-4954-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-11-AM-4954-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-11-AM-4954-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-11-AM-4954-scaled.jpg 1810w" sizes=" (max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" />Moneyball. 2011. Sony Pictures Entertainment. Columbia Pictures. Scott Rudin Productions. Michael De Luca Productions. All rights reserved. IMDB.</div>
A movie about baseball statistics? Yawn. Not even close in this case, thanks to the fascinating source material – author Michael Lewis’ tome of the same name.
Brad Pitt stars as GM Billy Beane in the story of the 2002 Oakland A’s, a mid-tier franchise that used a new approach to field a winning team. They couldn’t outspend the Yankees or Dodgers, but by deploying “sabermetrics” they defied the game’s odds.
It’s a fascinating look at modern baseball that&#8217;s given heft by a killer cast, including Jonah Hill, Chris Pratt, and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
<h2>“The Bad News Bears”</h2>
<div id="attachment_978673" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-978673" class="size-large wp-image-978673" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-20-AM-9232-407x576.jpg" alt="The Bad News Bears. 1976. Paramount Pictures. All rights reserved. IMDB." width="407" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-20-AM-9232-407x576.jpg 407w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-20-AM-9232-212x300.jpg 212w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-20-AM-9232-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-20-AM-9232-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-20-AM-9232-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-20-AM-9232-scaled.jpg 1810w" sizes=" (max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" />The Bad News Bears. 1976. Paramount Pictures. All rights reserved. IMDB.</div>
Put this one in the “They couldn’t make THAT” today Hall of Fame. Walter Matthau plays the crusty coach of a ne’er-do-well Little League team that has more fight in it than even he realizes.
What makes it “problematic?” Consider the infamous scene where Matthau’s character passes out on the pitcher’s mound after one too many brews. Or how teammates swap racial slurs as casually as relay throws.
That’s not why these “Bears” are unforgettable. The film teems with fascinating characters, from pitching whiz Amanda (Tatum O’Neal) to bad boy Kelly (Jackie Earle Haley). The championship game is a keeper, brimming with suspense and the cold realities baseball supplies. 
<h2>“Major League”</h2>
<div id="attachment_978685" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-978685" class="size-large wp-image-978685" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-28-AM-5947-407x576.jpg" alt="Major League. Photo by Mirage Enterprises. Paramount Pictures. Morgan Creek Entertainment. Copyright 1989. All rights reserved." width="407" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-28-AM-5947-407x576.jpg 407w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-28-AM-5947-212x300.jpg 212w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-28-AM-5947-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-28-AM-5947-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-28-AM-5947-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-28-AM-5947-scaled.jpg 1810w" sizes=" (max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" />Major League. Photo by Mirage Enterprises. Paramount Pictures. Morgan Creek Entertainment. Copyright 1989. All rights reserved.</div>
This 1989 corker captures the sillier side of baseball. The ensemble cast isn’t as deep as the Yankees’ Murderers’ Row, but everyone owned their parts to perfection. Tom Berenger. Charlie Sheen. Wesley Snipes. Corbin Bernsen. Bob Uecker. They’re all key elements in a seemingly inept Cleveland Indians (triggering!) franchise destined to lose enough games to spark the team’s sale.
Except they keep finding ways to win.
The comedy stays mostly faithful to the sport while doubling down on its colorful characters, crazy storylines, and underdog theatrics. Oh, and it’s relentlessly funny, even if it sparked two inferior sequels. 
<h2>“Eight Men Out”</h2>
<div id="attachment_978691" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-978691" class="size-large wp-image-978691" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-31-AM-6690-407x576.jpg" alt="Eight Men Out. 1989. Orion Pictures. MGM. All rights reserved. IMDB." width="407" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-31-AM-6690-407x576.jpg 407w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-31-AM-6690-212x300.jpg 212w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-31-AM-6690-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-31-AM-6690-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-31-AM-6690-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-31-AM-6690-scaled.jpg 1810w" sizes=" (max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" />Eight Men Out. 1989. Orion Pictures. MGM. All rights reserved. IMDB.</div>
“Major League” offered a palate cleanser a year after this sobering 1988 drama. Director John Sayles recreates the Black Sox Scandal, recalling how a pennant-winning team threw the World Series to appease the betting crowd. And, of course, earn a little scratch at a time when athletes weren’t as absurdly wealthy as they are today.
The White Sox assembled a &#8220;can’t-miss&#8221; squad of stars, but the persnickety owners refused to reward them for an unforgettable season. Enter some opportunistic gamblers who give key players an offer they should refuse, but don’t.
The strong cast includes D.B. Sweeney, John Cusack, and, yes, Charlie Sheen.
It’s baseball’s darkest hour, a cautionary tale that has kept the sport (mostly) clean ever since. We’ll leave the Barry Bonds debate for another day.
<h3><a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=fall40&amp;utm_content=fallsale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial">Get 40% off new DailyWire+ annual memberships with code FALL40 at checkout!</a></h3>
<h2>Honorable Mention: “The Naked Gun”</h2>
No, director David Zucker’s spoof classic isn’t a baseball film, per se, though the film’s extended finale does take place during a baseball game. Lt. Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) impersonates an umpire to stop an assassination, finding himself calling balls and strikes in the process.
It’s one of the funniest moments of the film, capped by Drebin-the-umpire crying, “strike threeeee!” before the ball ever reaches the catcher’s mitt. It’s a perfectly silly baseball sequence, and one impossible not to include here.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

MixCollage-27-Sep-2025-11-41-AM-2576

The Best Baseball Movies To Watch This Postseason

Baseball

Entertainment

Hollywood

Kevin Costner

Major League Baseball

Movies

The passing of Native American actor Graham Greene reminded us of the Oscar-winning 1990 film “Dances with Wolves.” The film cast Greene as Kicking Bird, and his screen time with director and star Kevin Costner set the table for the drama.
The film remains beloved for its portrait of the American West, many warts and all. It’s also emblematic of Costner’s career, one dedicated to the great outdoors in the grand American tradition.
Few actors have clung to that mythos like Costner, from his directorial breakthrough with “Dances with Wolves” to his most recent venture, the “Horizon” saga. Along the way, Costner has explored the American wilderness on screens large and small, creating a genuine affection for his country in the process.
<div id="attachment_969287" style="width: 825px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-969287" class="size-large wp-image-969287" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-815x576.jpg" alt="Kevin Costner in “Dances with Wolves” 1990. Tig Productions. Majestic Films International. Allied Filmmakers. Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images copyright 2012. IMDB." width="815" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-815x576.jpg 815w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-300x212.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-768x543.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-1536x1086.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-37-PM-7630-2048x1448.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 815px) 100vw, 815px" />Kevin Costner in “Dances with Wolves” 1990. Tig Productions. Majestic Films International. Allied Filmmakers. Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images copyright 2012. IMDB.</div>
He didn’t sugarcoat the land’s flaws then, and he refused to do so in subsequent projects. America’s natural beauty and potential proved his constant companion.
It explains why he endures as more than just a movie star at the age of 70. He’s part of the cultural fabric. And, even when he’s taking political stances that anger a good half of the country, his treasure trove of goodwill barely takes a hit.
Costner famously got left on the editing room floor in 1983’s“The Big Chill,” even though his character’s fate powered the nostalgia-laced drama. Director Lawrence Kasdan made amends to the young actor by casting him in the ensemble western “Silverado.”
<div id="attachment_969291" style="width: 720px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-969291" class="size-large wp-image-969291" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-468733013-710x576.jpg" alt="CIRCA 1985: Actors Kevin Costner, Scott Glenn, Kevin Kline and Danny Glover on set the movie &quot;Silverado&quot; circa 1985. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)" width="710" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-468733013-710x576.jpg 710w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-468733013-300x243.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-468733013-768x623.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-468733013.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 710px) 100vw, 710px" />CIRCA 1985: Actors Kevin Costner, Scott Glenn, Kevin Kline and Danny Glover on set the movie &#8220;Silverado&#8221; circa 1985. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)</div>
From there, Costner landed “The Untouchables” (1987), “Bull Durham” (1988), and “Field of Dreams” (1989), a run of hits few actors could match, then or now. That gave him the clout to start shaping his career on his terms. And that led to “Dances with Wolves.”
The film may appear “woke” in retrospect, showcasing a guilt-ridden white man coming to terms with his country’s cruelty to Native Americans. Costner grounded the Western epic with respect for all its elements – from historical realities to the harsh truths about frontier life. 
Such messaging is often found in movies with what YouTube film and TV critic, The Critical Drinker, famously calls “The Message.” Costner, however, refused to lecture without context or push an agenda without exploring that time and place from all angles.
“Dances with Wolves” brought the nation’s complicated history to life, not with finger-wagging asides but a three-dimensional portrait that couldn’t be denied.
And, in the process, he forged a connection with American storytelling that became his unofficial identity. Costner has worked constantly since that film’s release, and his career has hit the usual bumps along the way.
He returned to the American West repeatedly over the years, from the unsung 2003 western “Open Range” to 1994’s “Wyatt Earp.” The latter got overshadowed by “Tombstone,” released a year earlier and featuring an iconic turn from Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday.
And, when his career appeared to be on the downside, Costner teamed with rising TV producer Taylor Sheridan to anchor “Yellowstone.” The Paramount series wasn’t set in the 1800s, but its Montana backdrop and timeless themes connected to the stories Costner knows best.
How many modern shows reflect the natural beauty of a state like Montana? For Costner and Sheridan, it just felt like home.
At a time when even “hit” TV shows draw a fraction of the audience of prior smashes, “Yellowstone” drew huge ratings. The show’s 2024 finale drew north of 13 million viewers.
<div id="attachment_969295" style="width: 825px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-969295" class="size-large wp-image-969295" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-815x576.jpg" alt="Kevin Costner, Cole Hauser in &quot;Yellowstone, Watch 'Em Ride Away&quot;Photo by Courtesy of Paramount Network - copyright Paramount Network 2022" width="815" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-815x576.jpg 815w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-300x212.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-768x543.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-1536x1086.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-05-Sep-2025-04-50-PM-769-2048x1448.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 815px) 100vw, 815px" />Kevin Costner, Cole Hauser in &#8220;Yellowstone: Watch &#8216;Em Ride Away&#8221; Photo by Courtesy of Paramount Network &#8211; copyright Paramount Network 2022</div>
The Sheridan saga featured a sprawling cast, but Costner’s John Dutton anchored the show. Once again, the actor’s instincts and authenticity made the series matter.
Actors can only fake so much. Audiences see the now weathered star as a credible and engaging part of the American landscape. He leaned on that persona for not one but two FOX Nation limited series based on Yellowstone history – “Yellowstone One Fifty” and “Yellowstone to Yosemite with Kevin Costner.”
Costner’s cinematic passions came to a head last year with a project that may never be completed as he originally envisioned it.
Costner returned to the director’s chair for 2024’s “Horizon: An American Saga.” The old-school western cost him a pretty penny, and then some. The star used his sizable wealth to help fund what he saw as a four-part movie saga.
The first installment drew modest reviews and tepid box office results – just $38 million worldwide. The second chapter, already filmed, currently lacks a release date, although it debuted at the Venice International Film Festival last year.
The actor has been open about struggling to fund parts three and four, and it’s possible the saga will end with the second film.
The irony? Costner began dreaming up the story behind “Horizon” in the late 1980s, just before his directorial breakthrough with “Dances with Wolves.” His quest to turn the American West into a deeply personal film franchise may have been doomed by fiscal realities, but it’s in line with Costner’s creative self.
He loves America, from its natural splendor to its ability to let citizens dream impossible dreams. And nowhere is that more evident than in the great outdoors.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Fanatics Fest NYC 2025

Kevin Costner: The Wild Wild West Movie Star

actors

Celebrities

Montana

Yellowstone

A “Horizon” stunt performer is suing Kevin Costner and film producers for what she’s describing as “a violent, unscripted, unscheduled rape scene&#8221; directed by Costner in the film.
Stunt performer Devyn LaBella filed the sexual harassment lawsuit in the Superior Court of California for Los Angeles County on Tuesday, citing an alleged incident from 2023 during the filming of “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 2.”
LaBella claims she was hired by the production company as a stand-in for lead actress Ella Hunt &#8220;during physical scenes&#8221; and that during that time, her SAG agreement terms were violated. Those include a ban on “any last minute requests for nudity or simulated sex.&#8221; The terms also require producers to give a 48-hour notice and get the performer&#8217;s permission for any changes to intimate scenes, along with providing an intimacy coordinator for sex scenes, People <a href="https://people.com/horizon-stuntperformer-files-sexual-harassment-lawsuit-against-kevin-costner-and-film-producers-11742855">reported</a>.
Per the complaint, LaBella was slated to cover Hunt’s non-intimate scenes on the day in question. But when Hunt arrived on set, the actress learned that Costner had requested new scenes which would require actor Roger Ivens to climb on top of her, &#8220;violently raking up her skirt.” 
Hunt was allegedly upset by the &#8220;ad hoc and violent nature of the sudden script change request&#8221; and refused to film the new scenes. After she left the set, Costner is said to have asked LaBella to stand in, which she agreed to without knowing why Hunt had departed without filming, per <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2025/05/28/kevin-costner-horizon-stunt-performer-lawsuit/83895723007/">USA Today</a>.
The lawsuit says LaBella did not know that &#8220;involvement in the impromptu shot would go beyond standing in as a standard body-double.&#8221;
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&#8220;She was not warned or prepared for Mr. Ivens to perform or engage in any action on top of her and first learned that Ivens would mount her and violently pull her skirt up when he was already on top of her doing so,&#8221; the complaint says. 
It added that Costner directed Ivens to &#8220;repeatedly perform a violent simulated rape&#8221; on LaBella &#8220;without proper notice, consent, preparation, or appropriate safeguard measures in place, such as the project&#8217;s intimacy coordinator being called in.&#8221;
LaBella further asserted that Costner provided &#8220;no clear direction of when the scene began or ended,&#8221; and said she was &#8220;never given the opportunity to prepare for or consent to participate in this scene, much less to object to it.&#8221;
The stunt double said the incident was &#8220;especially humiliating&#8221;  because &#8220;she was menstruating at the time, compounded by the fact that between takes, Mr. Ivens&#8217; hands rested on top of the bundled-up skirt above her vagina.&#8221;
The complaint also says the scene was &#8220;broadcast publicly on monitors for the entire crew to witness,&#8221; but asserts the &#8220;set should have been closed&#8221; due to the content being filmed.
LaBella is suing for an unspecified amount of money over the alleged incident and has asked for a trial by jury.
&#8220;Horizon: An American Saga &#8211; Chapter 2&#8221; is the second part in Costner’s passion project, a four-part Western film series he wrote, directed, and financed with his own money. The first installment premiered in June 2024. &#8220;Chapter 2&#8221; was initially slated to debut in August 2024, but the sequel was pulled from release after the first chapter struggled at the box office, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kevin-costners-second-part-of-western-saga-pulled-from-theaters-ahead-of-august-release">reported</a>.
&#8220;Chapter 2&#8221; was shown at the Venice International Film Festival in September, but so far, it is not scheduled for a theatrical release as initially planned.

Kevin Costner Sued For ‘Violent, Unscripted’ Rape Scene In ‘Horizon 2’

Kevin Costner Sued For 'Violent, Unscripted' Rape Scene In 'Horizon 2'

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Spoiler warning: This story contains spoilers for Season 5 Episode 14 of “Yellowstone.”
Fans took to social media to react to finally getting a finale to the popular “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/he-deserved-better-yellowstone-fans-furious-at-kevin-costners-exit">Yellowstone</a>” series — following Kevin Costner’s exit from the show — and many have made it clear they aren’t happy, saying that the end was rushed and “too predictable.”
On Sunday, the final episode of the second half of Season 5 of the hit Paramount series — titled “Life is a Promise” — aired. Show creator Taylor Sheridan apparently attempted to wrap up all the loose ends of the show, and fans were not terribly impressed with the way that played out onscreen. The Dutton ranch was saved when it was given back to the Native Americans — to keep the land pristine — and the shocking conclusion to the sibling battle that’s been brewing for years bubbled over between Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley), with Beth dealing the final blow to Jamie.
“Yellowstone finale was a big let down for me,” <a href="https://x.com/sandrajaniga/status/1868498819324981464">one person wrote</a>. “Too predictable and Taylor Sheridan put himself into too many scenes when he was not an integral part of the family. Kevin Costner was Yellowstone and the day he left the show, it died with him. Too bad for a great series.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Yellowstone finale was a big let down for me. Too predictable and Taylor Sheridan put himself in to many scenes when he was not an integral part of the family. Kevin Costner was Yellowstone and the day he left the show, it died with him. Too bad for a great series. <a href="https://t.co/Vk7tiF7Nmo">pic.twitter.com/Vk7tiF7Nmo</a>
— SJ🇺🇸Close the Border! Trump 2024! (@sandrajaniga) <a href="https://twitter.com/sandrajaniga/status/1868498819324981464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2024</a></blockquote>
<a href="https://x.com/HighyieldHarry/status/1868493079310909888">Another person wrote</a>, “Yellowstone series finale ended. The show fell off so hard it&#8217;s crazy. Same with Ozark. Really gotta give Vince Gilligan, plus the Succession folks, more credit for knowing how to build a great series and landing the endings.”
While a <a href="https://x.com/arcticninjapaul/status/1868529939622048063">third person wrote</a>, “Well, it was a race to the finish for the<a href="https://x.com/hashtag/Yellowstone?src=hashtag_click"> #Yellowstone</a> finale. It will always be bittersweet that Costner wasn’t a part of the last ride, which felt like an expedited conclusion as it is. The finale struggled between some genuine heartfelt moments,  dragged-out scenes (did we need THAT much of the Lainey Wilson performance?), and quickly tied up loose ends (including the fate of Jamie) that could’ve used some more emotional heft had things not been pushed to this point.”
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“While I loved the first four seasons, this final one simply fell apart between the studio, the showrunner, and the lead, making a mess of what could’ve been and soured the legacy to some degree,” the person added. 
It comes following fans&#8217; disappointment with the fate of Costner’s character Gov. John Dutton, saying he deserved so much better after Costner was written off the show in the final season’s premiere episode, as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/he-deserved-better-yellowstone-fans-furious-at-kevin-costners-exit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previously reported</a>.
In the first 30 seconds of the hit Paramount series, fans learned that Sheridan apparently didn’t have plans for any kind of heroic ending for its leading man for the second half of Season 5 — two years after the first half of the season debuted, and a year after fans learned that Costner wouldn’t be part of the series any longer. His death was initially portrayed as suicide, but in a short amount of time, it became clear that he was murdered.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/he-deserved-better-yellowstone-fans-furious-at-kevin-costners-exit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘He Deserved Better’: &#8216;Yellowstone’ Fans Furious At Kevin Costner’s Exit</a>

Premiere Party For Paramount Network’s “Yellowstone” Season 2 – Arrivals

Fans React To ‘Yellowstone’ Series Finale

Paramount

The “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/yellowstone" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yellowstone</a>” universe might not be ending with the highly-anticipated upcoming finale of the series after two major characters have reportedly signed new deals.
Sources with knowledge told <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DDcUtoKsBH3/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D">Deadline</a> that two of the stars of the popular Paramount series about the Dutton family, Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly, have reportedly closed deals to be part of a spinoff series, reprising their roles of husband and wife Rip Wheeler and Beth Dutton.
The insider said the creator of “Yellowstone,” Taylor Sheridan, is reportedly working on the creative for the show, which could include others from the series that has captured fans since the first season launched, led by Kevin Costner, in 2018.
The spinoff will be the first to follow the current storyline that comes to an end with Season 5’s final episode that will air on Sunday, December 15.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
EXCLUSIVE: The upcoming Season 5 finale of &#8216;Yellowstone&#8217; will not be the end of the Dutton clan’s story. Series standouts Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser have closed deals to lead a spinoff series, reprising their roles as Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler, respectively, sources tell… <a href="https://t.co/RMSaY34K70">pic.twitter.com/RMSaY34K70</a>
— Deadline (@DEADLINE) <a href="https://twitter.com/DEADLINE/status/1866865941616705588?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2024</a></blockquote>
The “Yellowstone” series focuses on the “Dutton family who controls the largest contiguous cattle ranch in the United States. Amid shifting alliances, unsolved murders, open wounds and hard-earned respect — the ranch is in constant conflict with those it borders — an expanding town, an Indian reservation, and America’s first national park,” <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/yellowstone-trailer-season5b-1235987773/">The Hollywood Reporter</a> noted.
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The news follows a report earlier this year that at least two spinoffs could be a reality in the future for the series, with the conclusion of the current season centering around <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/he-deserved-better-yellowstone-fans-furious-at-kevin-costners-exit">Costner’s character</a>’s departure from the show, <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/yellowstone-season-5-final-episodes-production-date-1235651790/">THR</a> noted. The spinoffs will come from the existing producers MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios.
At the time, one of the new shows had a working title of “2024” and reportedly would put the Duttons in the present day. The other is expected to follow in the footsteps of the two earlier “Yellowstone” prequels, “1883” and “1923,” with a current title of “1944.”
Hauser previously appeared to address the rumors he could be part of one of the spinoffs, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/yellowstone-star-hints-at-spin-off-series-dealing-with-two-popular-characters-romance">reported</a>.
“I know that there’s some stuff on the horizon when it comes to Taylor’s ideas for Kelly Reilly and myself, and some of the other cast,” Hauser said. “I’m excited to see where he goes creatively with that. But right now it’s just: Let’s finish strong; let’s do the best we can.”
<a href="https://collider.com/yellowstone-spinoff-update-kelly-reilly/">Reilly</a> also seemed to hint about her involvement in a spinoff in a recent interview, but made it clear that she didn’t “have an answer right now. But we’ll see.”
Costner previously told <a href="https://www.gq.com/story/kevin-costner-gq-cover-story">GQ</a> that a scheduling conflict had nothing to do with his departure from the series amid reports that blamed him for halting production on the second half of the season due to filming for his western movie “Horizon: An American Saga-Chapter 1,” followed by the writers’ and actors’ strikes, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/yellowstone-fans-get-major-update-about-series-return">reported</a>.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/he-deserved-better-yellowstone-fans-furious-at-kevin-costners-exit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘He Deserved Better’: Yellowstone’ Fans Furious At Kevin Costner’s Exit</a>

Paramount Network’s “Yellowstone” Season 2 Premiere Party At Lombardi House

‘Yellowstone’ Universe Won’t End With Finale After Two Major Characters Sign New Deal

Spoiler warning: This article contains spoilers for Season 5, Episode 12.
The hit Paramount show “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/yellowstone">Yellowstone</a>” killed off another character in Sunday night’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/television">episode</a>, leaving some fans upset because this is one they didn’t see coming.
Earlier this season, family patriarch John Dutton (<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kevin-costner">Kevin Costner</a>) was killed in a not-so-surprising twist to everyone who understood that Costner was not returning to the second half of the fifth season, choosing instead to focus his time on his own passion project Western film, “Horizon: An American Saga.”
The episode after that included another surprise death. Sarah Atwood (Dawn Olivieri), the character who hired the company that killed Dutton and framed it as a suicide, was also murdered. Sunday night’s episode showed the minor yet beloved character Colby Mayfield (Denim Richards), who has been on the show since it began, getting killed off.
Colby died after being kicked in the chest by a wild stallion.
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Fans headed to social media to express disdain for the character’s death, blaming showrunner Taylor Sheridan for messing with their emotions.
Richards posted a photo of a director’s chair with his name on it, plus his cowboy hat and boots, and included the caption, “Grateful.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Grateful✊🏾🙏🏾✊🏾 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YellowstoneTV?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YellowstoneTV</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/yellowstone?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#yellowstone</a> <a href="https://t.co/ebrKfOxdvd">pic.twitter.com/ebrKfOxdvd</a>
&mdash; Denim Richards (@DenimRichards) <a href="https://twitter.com/DenimRichards/status/1863443562165158377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“My whole fam is in a bad mood tonight. Why did this hurt worse than John being killed?” one fan <a href="https://x.com/Oh_Katie_Babie/status/1863454422203801768">wrote</a> in response to Richards’ X post.
“There [have] been all kinds of death on the show. This one felt the worst. Brilliant part for an equally brilliant actor. Well done Sir,” another response <a href="https://x.com/BranshawThe/status/1863454448476946610">said</a>.
“I am so happy for your success in the show but I AM LIVID about Taylor killing my favorite cowboy,” a third fan <a href="https://x.com/sdshelt/status/1863445755119202596">wrote</a>. “I was yelling at the TV and my husband! Well at least he went out in a heroic way. But I will not get over this any time soon! Thanks for playing Colby, I loved him!”
There are only two episodes left in the season, with the finale scheduled to air on Paramount on December 15.

Paramount Network’s “Yellowstone” Season 5B NYC Premiere

‘Yellowstone’ Fans React To Third Character Death This Season

'Yellowstone' Fans React To Third Character Death This Season

Television

Spoiler warning: This story contains spoilers for Season 5 Episode 9 of “Yellowstone.”
Actor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kevin-costner">Kevin Costner</a> has weighed in on the fate of his character in the popular drama “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/yellowstone">Yellowstone</a>” after the premiere of season 5, part 2 on Sunday night.
The writers killed off Costner’s character, John Dutton, in a death that’s indicated to be a suicide but could have been a setup that covered up a murder. The 69-year-old actor said in an interview with SiriusXM’s “The Michael Smerconish Program” on Monday that he had no idea how the writers would handle his exit.
“I’m going to be perfectly honest. I didn’t know it was actually airing last night,” Costner said. “That’s a swear to God moment. I swear to God. I mean, I’ve been seeing ads with my face all over the place and I’m thinking, ‘Gee, I’m not in that one.’ I’m not in this season.”
The actor had already discussed being done with “Yellowstone” after filming the first half of season 5.
“I didn’t see it,” he said of the latest episode. “I heard it’s a suicide, so that doesn’t make me want to rush to go see it,” Costner added. 
Smerconish said that Dutton didn’t seem like “a suicide kind of guy,” prompting the actor to discuss the writers, saying, “Well, they’re pretty smart people. Maybe it’s a red herring. Who knows? They’re very good. And they’ll figure that out.”
Costner said he had previously discussed “endings” for the character but did not talk about the idea of suicide. Ultimately, he said how writers handled Dutton’s death was “their business,” per <a href="https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/kevin-costner-reacts-john-dutton-yellowstone-death-1236206700/">Variety</a>.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/?_gl=1*jtghwp*_gcl_au*ODQ1NjYzNTg2LjE3Mjg5MDk3OTE.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczMDEyMDgwOS40OS4xLjE3MzAxMjA4MzkuMzAuMC4w">MATT WALSH’S ‘AM I RACIST?’ NOW STREAMING ON DAILYWIRE+</a>
Many fans were furious over the popular character&#8217;s departure from the show, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/he-deserved-better-yellowstone-fans-furious-at-kevin-costners-exit">reported</a>.
“John Dutton deserved to go out like a gladiator, not a victim. Completely undoes the series. I’m not a fan at all how #Yellowstone handled Costner’s departure,” one person wrote.
“John Dutton was a fantastic character, and despite the Kevin Costner drama, he deserved a better goodbye than Yellowstone gave him,” a second fan agreed.
The actor cited scheduling conflicts as his main reason for leaving &#8220;Yellowstone.&#8221; Costner devoted a lot of time to his Western movie series, “Horizon,” which has so far gotten mixed reviews from critics and fans. 
The actor previously said he was open to returning to &#8220;Yellowstone.&#8221;

Kevin Costner Reacts To His ‘Yellowstone’ Character’s Fate

Kevin Costner Reacts To His 'Yellowstone' Character's Fate

“Yellowstone” fans took to social media to make it clear they are furious with the way <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kevin-costner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kevin Costner</a>’s character Governor John Dutton was written off the show when the final season premiered on Sunday.
In the first 30 seconds of the hit Paramount series, fans learned that creator Taylor Sheridan apparently didn’t have plans for any kind of heroic ending for its leading man for the second half of Season 5 — two years after the first half of the season debuted, and a year after fans learned that Costner wouldn’t be part of the series any longer.
Spoiler ahead: 
The series opened with Dutton’s daughter Beth (played by Kelly Reilly) driving up to the Governor’s mansion and getting out crying. When she and her brother, Kaycee (Luke Grimes), both finally get past the authorities, fans see a blood splatter on a bathroom wall and a partial view of Costner’s character in his boxers with a gun next to his hand. 
His death is initially portrayed as suicide, but in a short amount of time we learn there’s much more going on with his death, which is likely a murder.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
John Dutton deserved to go out like a gladiator, not a victim. Completely undoes the series. I’m not a fan at all how <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Yellowstone?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Yellowstone</a> handled Costner’s departure. <a href="https://t.co/mECsM6gluf">pic.twitter.com/mECsM6gluf</a>
— @Matthew Betley (@MatthewBetley) <a href="https://twitter.com/MatthewBetley/status/1855810834871497111?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2024</a></blockquote>
However, many disgusted with the exit of the fan favorite let producers know on social media, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/yellowstone-fans-furious-over-kevin-costners-series-sendoff-complain-show-has-jumped-shark-so-badly">Fox News</a> reported.
&#8220;Yellowstone has its first episode without Kevin Costner and they already ruined it in the first 5 minutes,&#8221; one person wrote.
Another added, &#8220;John Dutton deserved to go out like a gladiator, not a victim. Completely undoes the series. I’m not a fan at all how #Yellowstone handled Costner’s departure.&#8221;
A third person went on an expletive-filled rant, writing, &#8220;Waited 2 years for a new episode just to watch 3 minutes and change the channel. F**k you Taylor Sheridan, and f**k you [Kevin Costner] for not settling your differences.&#8221;
A fourth person wrote, &#8220;John Dutton was a fantastic character, and despite the Kevin Costner drama, he deserved a better goodbye than Yellowstone gave him.”
The “Waterworld” star previously told <a href="https://www.gq.com/story/kevin-costner-gq-cover-story">GQ</a> that a scheduling conflict had nothing to do with his departure from the series amid reports that blamed him for halting production on the second half of the season due to filming for his western movie “Horizon: An American Saga-Chapter 1,” followed by the writers’ and actors’ strikes, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/yellowstone-fans-get-major-update-about-series-return">reported</a>.
Costner said he offered options for killing off his character so he could make both work, saying, “‘Well, if you want to kill me, if you want to do something like that,’ I said, ‘I have a week before I start. I’ll do what you want to do.’”
The “Dances with Wolves” star said despite everything that has happened, he was open to returning to the series, <a href="https://deadline.com/2024/05/yellowstone-season-5-part-2-release-date-cast-1235924863/?taid=664c12b263b61f0001608d43">Deadline</a> noted.
Paramount later released a statement to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/yellowstone-star-kevin-costner-offered-to-be-killed-off-hit-show-ill-do-what-you-want-to-do">Fox News</a> about Costner’s GQ comments and said, “Kevin has been a big part of ‘Yellowstone’s’ success,” while wishing him the best.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kevin-costner-talks-killing-off-yellowstone-character-as-season-5-production-finally-gets-underway" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kevin Costner Talks Killing Off ‘Yellowstone’ Character As Season 5 Production Finally Gets Underway</a>

‘He Deserved Better’: ‘Yellowstone’ Fans Furious At Kevin Costner’s Exit

‘He Deserved Better’: Yellowstone’ Fans Furious At Kevin Costner’s Exit

The trailer for the final season of “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/yellowstone">Yellowstone</a>” dropped on Tuesday, making it clear there’s going to be a war with members of the Dutton family in order to keep their legacy and land.
In the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n17AZkUXy58">one-minute plus clip</a> shared by the Paramount Network on YouTube, there are numerous shots of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kevin-costner-talks-about-his-latest-film-says-he-makes-movies-for-men">Kevin Costner</a>’s character John Dutton talking about how a “war is just beginning,” despite the fact that we’ve been told Costner wouldn’t be part of the final season following his departure from the show last year.
“Everyone’s forgotten who runs this valley. It’s time to remind them,” a voiceover of Costner can be heard while images of the Dutton family and ranch come across the screen. There’s a series of quick, suspenseful images of the members of the Dutton family, specifically Jaime Dutton’s character (played by Wes Bentley) and rival sister Beth Dutton (played by Kelly Reilly) clearly in a battle over their family legacy and ranch.
“The only thing left to do is kill as much as you can before they kill you,” Reilly says at the end of the clip.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Yellowstone Official Trailer | Paramount Network" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/n17AZkUXy58?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
It’s giving audiences an idea what to expect when the second half of Season 5 comes out November 10 &#8212; two years after the first half of Season 5 debuted.
The “Waterworld” star previously told <a href="https://www.gq.com/story/kevin-costner-gq-cover-story">GQ</a> that a scheduling conflict had nothing to do with his departure from the series amid reports that blamed him for halting production on the second half of the season due to filming for his western movie “Horizon: An American Saga-Chapter 1,” followed by the writers’ and actors’ strikes, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/yellowstone-fans-get-major-update-about-series-return">reported</a>.
Costner said he offered options for killing off his character so he could make both work, saying, “‘Well, if you want to kill me, if you want to do something like that,’ I said, ‘I have a week before I start. I’ll do what you want to do.’”
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1729077615157000&amp;usg=AOvVaw17Kprl74oE9DYOLREdiBPU">MATT WALSH’S ‘AM I RACIST?’ COMING TO DAILYWIRE+ OCT. 28</a>
The “Dances with Wolves” star said despite everything that has happened, he would be open to returning to the series, <a href="https://deadline.com/2024/05/yellowstone-season-5-part-2-release-date-cast-1235924863/?taid=664c12b263b61f0001608d43">Deadline</a> noted.
Paramount later released a statement to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/yellowstone-star-kevin-costner-offered-to-be-killed-off-hit-show-ill-do-what-you-want-to-do">Fox News</a> about Costner’s GQ comments and said, “Kevin has been a big part of ‘Yellowstone’s’ success.”
“While we had hoped that we would continue working with him, unfortunately, we could not find a window that worked for him, all the other talent, and our production needs in order to move forward together,” the statement read. “We respect that Kevin has prioritized his new film series and we wish him the best.”
The “Yellowstone” series focuses on the “Dutton family who controls the largest contiguous cattle ranch in the United States. Amid shifting alliances, unsolved murders, open wounds and hard-earned respect — the ranch is in constant conflict with those it borders — an expanding town, an Indian reservation, and America’s first national park,” <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/yellowstone-trailer-season5b-1235987773/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Hollywood Reporter</a> noted.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/yellowstone-fans-get-their-first-peek-at-final-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘Yellowstone’ Fans Get Their First Peek At Final Season</a>

‘This Is The Hill We Die On’: ‘Yellowstone’ Final Season Trailer Drops

'This Is The Hill We Die On': ‘Yellowstone’ Final Season Trailer Drops

Legendary star James Earl Jones, known for voicing “Star Wars” villain Darth Vader in the franchise and his parts in movies like “Field of Dreams,” has died. He was 93.
On Monday, the actor’s representative with the Independent Artist Group confirmed to <a href="https://deadline.com/2024/09/james-earl-jones-dead-1236082801/">Deadline</a> magazine that Jones had passed away at his home in Dutchess County, NY. A cause of death has yet to be announced at the time of publication.
Born in 1931 on a farm in in Arkabutla, Mississippi, Jones is widely regarded for his work on stage and screen, becoming one of the rare EGOT winners after taking home two Primetime Emmys, a Grammy Award, an Honorary Oscar, and three Tony Awards during his career, the outlet noted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
James Earl Jones, the prolific film, TV and theater actor whose resonant, unmistakable baritone was most widely known as the voice of “Star Wars” villain Darth Vader, died Monday. He was 93.<a href="https://t.co/k2OTXabcSa">https://t.co/k2OTXabcSa</a> <a href="https://t.co/a7Bqp914mW">pic.twitter.com/a7Bqp914mW</a>
— Variety (@Variety) <a href="https://twitter.com/Variety/status/1833244746426241295?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
The star of the big and small screen’s career spans more than sixty years following his Broadway debut in 1958 at the Cort Theatre, a place that would later be renamed the James Earl Jones Theater in 2022, <a href="https://variety.com/2024/film/news/james-earl-jones-dead-darth-vader-lion-king-1236138656/">Variety</a> noted. His TV credits alone are more than 70 including movies and miniseries like “Roots” and “The Atlanta Child Murders&#8221; along with guest roles on shows like “Picket Fences,” “Law &amp; Order,” “The Simpsons,” “Frasier,” and “House.” 
Generations of movie goers probably first heard the iconic baritone sound of Jones voice as that of evil Darth Vader in the 1977 smash hit, a role he would revisit for years to come. Another generation of kids would first hear his voice as the King Mufasa in the classic animated Disney movie “Lion King” in 1994.
Others will likely recall seeing Jones for the first time as King Jaffe Joffer in Eddie Murphy’s 1988 hit “Coming to America,” a role he recently reprised for the highly-anticipated sequel “Coming 2 America”  in 2021.
His role as a reclusive author in 1989’s “Field of Dreams,” alongside Kevin Costner is just one of the many great roles he’s had. Others include his part in three Jack Ryan movies as CIA deputy director Vice Admiral James Greer in 1990’s “The Hunt for Red October,” 1992’s “Patriot Games,” and 1994’s “Clear and Present Danger,” Variety noted.
In addition to his Honorary Academy Award in 2011, he was honored in 2002 with a Kennedy Center Honor and a Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement award in 2009.
During a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/19/magazine/james-earl-jones-on-darth-vader-mufasa-and-natch-totes-mcgotes.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Times</a> interview in 2014, Jones talked about his lengthy career and said the &#8220;secret is never forgetting that you’re a journeyman actor and that nothing is your final thing, nothing is your greatest thing, nothing is your worst thing. I still consider myself a novice.”
Jones is survived by his son, Flynn Earl Jones whom he shares with his second wife of 34 years, Cecelia Hart. Hart died in 2016, <a href="https://variety.com/2024/film/news/james-earl-jones-dead-darth-vader-lion-king-1236138656/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Variety</a> noted.  He was first married to actress-singer Julienne Marie.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/91-year-old-james-earl-jones-using-ai-to-keep-the-voice-of-darth-vader-alive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">91-Year-Old James Earl Jones Using AI To Keep The Voice Of Darth Vader Alive</a>

James Earl Jones

‘Field Of Dreams’ Star James Earl Jones Dead At 93

'Field Of Dreams' Star James Earl Jones Dead At 93

actor

Death

Star Wars

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kevin-costner">Kevin Costner</a> publicly addressed the lackluster earnings from the first installment of his Western-themed <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">film</a> franchise, “Horizon,” claiming that even though the first film flopped and the second was delayed, he’s still counting on the movie standing “the test of time.”
The 69-year-old <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment">actor</a> spoke with reporters at the 2024 Venice Film Festival over the weekend, admitting that “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1” didn’t perform well at the box office. “It didn’t have overwhelming success,&#8221; he said, per <a href="https://variety.com/2024/film/festivals/kevin-costner-horizon-2-scrapped-theatrical-release-reaction-to-box-office-not-overwhelming-success-1236133084/">Variety</a>.
“I’ve had a lot of movies that way, that have stood the test of time,&#8221; Costner added.
Originally, the second installment in the “Horizon” series was slated to come out just six weeks after the first one did, which he called a “studio decision.” He said the studio was also the reason for the release being delayed.
“For me, it fell back into my plan, which was I always wanted to come out with movies about five-six months apart. And that was going to allow me to come to Venice,” Costner said, per the outlet. “I would have never come to Venice, because they won’t show the film here if it was already out.”
“Part One” made just over $29 million in North America against an estimated production budget of $100 million.
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The actor said he’s still planning to forge ahead with making “Horizon” a four-part film series despite negative reviews and poor earnings. 
“Sometimes when things don’t come to us easily, we want to just step away. But there’s something in me that only increases my desire when something is not working,” Costner said. “It’s a story, it’s a piece of entertainment that I think can stand the test of time. When I feel rejection, unlike anybody else, when I open my eyes from my disappointment, my desire is only increased.”
He said in terms of making the third movie, he wants to “hurry and not let the rock fall back downhill, I gotta go put my hands on it again and start to push it up.”
The “Dances with Wolves” actor also asserted that the movies don’t take sides in terms of politics, mentioning how “it’s not a message politically to anyone.”
“‘Horizon’ is not a message to my country, it’s a reminder to my country of how difficult it was that people made this journey,” he said, per Variety.

Kevin Costner Discusses ‘Horizon’ Bust, Talks Future Of Franchise

Kevin Costner Discusses 'Horizon' Bust, Talks Future Of Franchise

“<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/yellowstone">Yellowstone</a>” fans finally got their first peek at what the last season of the hit Paramount series will look like following the departure of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kevin-costner">Kevin Costner</a> from the show.
In a 30-second <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PXuYlrORpc">teaser clip</a> shared by the Paramount network on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PXuYlrORpc">YouTube</a>, a voice over of Costner can be heard while images of the Dutton family and ranch come across the screen, giving audiences an idea what to expect when the second half of Season 5 comes out in November — two years after the first half of Season 5 debuted, the <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/yellowstone-trailer-season5b-1235987773/">Hollywood Reporter</a> reported.
“Legacy … we build something worth having, someone&#8217;s going to try and take it,” Costner, who played head of family character John Dutton, said.
We then hear Jaime Dutton’s character (played by Wes Bentley) issue a warning to rival sister Beth Dutton (played by Kelly Reilly), “You destroy me, you destroy yourself.”
Reilly’s character replied, “Unlike you, I keep my promises.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Generations | Yellowstone Teaser | Paramount Network" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6PXuYlrORpc?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The trailer dropped days after reports surfaced that Reilly and co-star Cole Hauser could be staying on board for another season despite all the reports that the original Dutton story with Costner will end after part 2 of season 5, <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/yellowstone-season-6-kelly-reilly-cole-hauser-1235985253/">THR</a> noted. Paramount has yet to respond to the report.
The “Waterworld” star previously told <a href="https://www.gq.com/story/kevin-costner-gq-cover-story">GQ</a> that a scheduling conflict had nothing to do with his departure from the series amid reports that blamed him for halting production on the second half of the season due to filming for his western movie “Horizon: An American Saga-Chapter 1,” followed by the writers’ and actors’ strikes, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/yellowstone-fans-get-major-update-about-series-return">reported</a>.
“They still haven’t shot it. As far as I know,” the actor said. “The scripts never came. And so then, at one point, they said to me that we don’t have an ending or anything.”
Costner said he offered options for killing off his character so he could make both work, saying, “‘Well, if you want to kill me, if you want to do something like that,’ I said, ‘I have a week before I start. I’ll do what you want to do.’”
The “Dances with Wolves” star said despite everything that has happened, he would be open to returning to the series, <a href="https://deadline.com/2024/05/yellowstone-season-5-part-2-release-date-cast-1235924863/?taid=664c12b263b61f0001608d43">Deadline</a> noted.
Paramount released a statement later to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/yellowstone-star-kevin-costner-offered-to-be-killed-off-hit-show-ill-do-what-you-want-to-do">Fox News</a> about Costner’s GQ comments and said that “Kevin has been a big part of ‘Yellowstone’s’ success.”
“While we had hoped that we would continue working with him, unfortunately, we could not find a window that worked for him, all the other talent, and our production needs in order to move forward together,” the statement read. “We respect that Kevin has prioritized his new film series and we wish him the best.”
The “Yellowstone” series focuses on the “Dutton family who controls the largest contiguous cattle ranch in the United States. Amid shifting alliances, unsolved murders, open wounds and hard-earned respect — the ranch is in constant conflict with those it borders — an expanding town, an Indian reservation, and America’s first national park,” <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/yellowstone-trailer-season5b-1235987773/">THR</a> noted.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kevin-costners-second-part-of-western-saga-pulled-from-theaters-ahead-of-august-release" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kevin Costner’s Second Part Of Western Saga Pulled From Theaters Ahead Of August Release</a>

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