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

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Yellowstone

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

Hollywood

U.S.

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.’”
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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.
<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=1724361346607000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1ZhyOQfEkxcMH_D1Ago3CQ">Tickets for “Am I Racist?” are on sale NOW! Buy here for a theater near you.</a>
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

Movies

“<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>

‘Yellowstone’ Fans Get Their First Peek At Final Season

Kevin Costner&#8217;s Western <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hollywood">film</a> &#8220;Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1&#8221; will be available to watch on streaming service Max beginning next Friday, August 23, per <a href="https://variety.com/2024/film/news/horizon-max-release-date-1236063719/">Variety</a>.
The first installment of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">film series</a> was a box office disappointment, leading the studio to push back the second film’s theatrical release from its original scheduled date of August 11. A New Line Cinema rep said this move was planned to “give audiences a greater opportunity to discover the first installment of ‘Horizon’ over the coming weeks, including on PVOD and Max.”
“Horizon: Chapter 1” earned just $11 million at the box office against a $100 million production budget. Costner used $38 million of his own money to help fund the project and was aggressively seeking backers for the intended third film. Costner wrote, directed, and starred in the movie.
“Horizon: Chapter 2” will now debut at the Venice Film Festival on September 7. Production for the third film already began in the spring and a script for the fourth has been distributed to key crew members, the outlet noted.
A second statement from Territory Pictures said, “The audience response to Horizon, and enthusiasm for seeing our story continue in Horizon 2, has been incredibly gratifying.”
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“Kevin made this film for people who love movies and who wanted to go on a journey,” it said. “The support that we have received from film fans, and the theater owners, as they experience the first chapter of this saga only serves to reinforce our belief in them and the films that we have made, and we thank them for coming on board for the ride.”
“We welcome the opportunity for that window to be expanded as we know it will only serve to enhance the experience of seeing ‘Horizon 2,’” the statement concluded, 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>.
Costner had previously blamed “TikTok culture” on the film’s lackluster performance. He said modern audiences aren’t equipped to deal with lengthy movies, and “Horizon” is three hours long.
“It’s real cinema, folks. So be prepared. We ain’t used to that s***. We’re used to 90-minute movies. Everything’s 90 minutes…Get over that s***,” the actor told TMZ in July.
He added, “Let’s watch a movie that actually tells a story. Where you learn about the people and grow to like them — or hate them. It’s not all fast, cut, cut, cut.”
When asked if short-form content like clips on TikTok were to blame, he said, “Totally, they are. Of course they are. They gotta get over that crap…They gotta learn what it’s like to watch real cinema.”

Costner’s ‘Horizon’ Film Gets Streaming Release Date After Follow-Up Film Yanked From Theaters

Costner's 'Horizon' Film Gets Streaming Release Date After Follow-Up Film Yanked From Theaters

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kevin-costner" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kevin Costner’s</a> second part to his western movie “Horizon: An American Saga” has been pulled from theaters ahead of its August release.
In a statement from Costner’s Territory Pictures and distribution partner New Line Cinema, it was announced that “Horizon: An American Saga-Chapter 2” will not be getting a theatrical release on August 16 after the first chapter has struggled at the box office.
“Territory Pictures and New Line Cinema have decided not to release ‘Horizon: Chapter 2’ on August 16 in order to give audiences a greater opportunity to discover the first installment of ‘Horizon’ over the coming weeks, including on PVOD and Max,” a spokesperson for New Line Cinema told the <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/kevin-costner-horizon-2-removed-from-theatrical-calendar-1235937513/">Hollywood Reporter</a>.
“We thank our exhibition partners for their continued support as moviegoers across the U.S. discover the film in its theatrical run,” the spokesperson added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Kevin Costner’s ‘HORIZON 2’ has had its August 16 theatrical release cancelled.
The studio are hoping of allowing more time to grow the audience for the first film before releasing the second.
(Source: <a href="https://t.co/bVKMkOY4qk">https://t.co/bVKMkOY4qk</a>) <a href="https://t.co/2nJiyLYL90">pic.twitter.com/2nJiyLYL90</a>
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) <a href="https://twitter.com/DiscussingFilm/status/1811099970184855895?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
A second statement from Territory Pictures read, “The audience response to Horizon, and enthusiasm for seeing our story continue in Horizon 2, has been incredibly gratifying.”
“Kevin made this film for people who love movies and who wanted to go on a journey,” it added. “The support that we have received from film fans, and the theater owners, as they experience the first chapter of this saga only serves to reinforce our belief in them and the films that we have made, and we thank them for coming on board for the ride.”
“We welcome the opportunity for that window to be expanded as we know it will only serve to enhance the experience of seeing ‘Horizon 2,’” the statement concluded.
Costner’s first of four planned films in the “Horizon: An American Saga” dropped in June. So far, it has struggled at the box office, the <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/kevin-costner-horizon-box-office-2-1235935961/">Hollywood Reporter</a> reported. The film opened the weekend of June 28-30 earning only $11 million at the domestic box office by the end of the weekend, THR noted. 
By the second weekend out, it had a domestic total of $22.2 million with a price tag of $100 million to make,<a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/despicable-me-4-box-office-opening-july-4-1235940188/"> the outlet</a> noted. It also earned only another $3 million overseas.
To help make the movie more profitable, the film will not only be released in theaters but also debut in the home on Premium VOD as early as next week, THR noted. There is no timetable yet as far as when it will be released on the streaming platform Max.
The “Yellowstone” star previously downplayed the importance of box office success ahead of its release.
“If we put so much pressure on that, we’re bound to be disappointed,” the actor told <a href="https://ew.com/kevin-costner-reflects-pressure-horizon-american-saga-part-1-succeed-8669756?taid=667ec6196190110001edd93c&amp;utm_campaign=entertainmentweekly_entertainmentweekly&amp;utm_content=new&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter.com">Entertainment Weekly</a>. “I’m really happy that ‘Horizon’ looks like what it’s supposed to look like, and that’s the way it’ll look the rest of its life. And that’s really important to me in this process.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kevin-costner-talks-about-his-latest-film-says-he-makes-movies-for-men" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kevin Costner Talks About His Latest Film, Says He Makes ‘Movies For Men’</a>

Pre-GRAMMY Gala & GRAMMY Salute To Industry Icons Honoring Julie Greenwald & Craig Kallman – Arrivals

Kevin Costner’s Second Part Of Western Saga Pulled From Theaters Ahead Of August Release

Kevin Costner's Second Part Of Western Saga Pulled From Theaters Ahead Of August Release

The first installment of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kevin-costner">Kevin Costner</a>’s partially self-funded Western <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">film</a> trilogy, “Horizon,” did not perform well at the box office, leading one of its stars to blame social media.
Actor Michael Rooker, best known for working on projects such as “The Walking Dead” and “Guardians of the Galaxy,” told TMZ that he believes audiences have shorter attention spans now than they did in the past. The 69-year-old noted that the movie was more than three hours long because it tells an important story.
“It’s real cinema, folks. So be prepared. We ain’t used to that sh**. We’re used to 90-minute movies. Everything’s 90 minutes…Get over that sh**,” the actor told <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2024/07/01/horizon-american-saga-michael-rooker-real-cinema-box-office-kevin-costner/">TMZ</a>.  
He added, “Let’s watch a movie that actually tells a story. Where you learn about the people and grow to like them — or hate them. It’s not all fast, cut, cut, cut.”
When asked if short-form content like clips on TikTok were to blame, he said, “Totally, they are. Of course they are. They gotta get over that crap…They gotta learn what it’s like to watch real cinema.”
Rooker also had high praise for Costner, who has been working on his passion project for decades before bringing it to the big screen this year.
“[Costner] is brilliant in this. He’s a brilliant director. And he has the ability to pick absolutely the cream of the crop [of actors],” he told the outlet.
“Horizon” had a slow start of an opening weekend, bringing in just $11 million last weekend against a budget estimated to be near $100 million, per <a href="https://variety.com/2024/film/news/kevin-coster-horizon-box-office-flop-1236057903/">Variety</a>. Costner contributed heavily to the film from his personal funds to the tune of $38 million.
Costner <a href="https://ew.com/kevin-costner-reflects-pressure-horizon-american-saga-part-1-succeed-8669756?taid=667ec6196190110001edd93c&amp;utm_campaign=entertainmentweekly_entertainmentweekly&amp;utm_content=new&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter.com">told</a> Entertainment Weekly that he wasn’t concerned about the movie’s initial performance.
“If we put so much pressure on that, we’re bound to be disappointed,” Costner told the outlet in an interview published the day of the film’s nationwide release. “I’m really happy that ‘Horizon’ looks like what it’s supposed to look like, and that’s the way it’ll look the rest of its life. And that’s really important to me in this process.”

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