Taylor Sheridan‘s new Yellowstone spinoff is going to look quite different than what fans may have expected.
According to a new report from Matthew Belloni at Puck, the new Yellowstone spinoff following stars Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser is currently looking to recast Kevin Costner in his iconic role as John Dutton.
Costner exited the series before Season 5, Part 2, claiming the continued production delays were beginning to conflict with his other projects (namely his passion project, Horizon: An American Saga). And when Part 2 finally debuted on Paramount Network after almost two years off the air, fans were enraged to see Dutton killed off the show only moments into the premiere.
But there’s no Yellowstone Ranch without John Dutton at the helm. If they do bring back the character, it will likely be in a smaller role for flashbacks.
Though there’s no one who could truly replace Costner on the series he helped cement as a mega hit, this will definitely be a sought after role in Hollywood. So, who could possibly fill Costner’s shoes in the new Yellowstone iteration?
Josh Lucas
One of the clearest choices to replace John would be Josh Lucas, who starred in a handful of episodes as a young John. The Sweet Home Alabama star offered a unique take on the character that set itself completely apart from Costner’s performance even as he helped map out John’s storied past on the ranch, aided in part by the fact that Lucas and Costner were reportedly kept separate from each other on set so as no to influence their performances. Lucas’ memorable performance even had fans asking for a spinoff series focused on the young cowboy.
Kurt Russell
Kurt Russell is also a top contender to replace Costner on Yellowstone. Russell has starred in several Western films — The Hateful Eight, Tombstone, Guns of Diablo, to name a few — and fits the bill of John Dutton. Russell was also reportedly being considered for a role in Sheridan’s other developing series, The Madison, starring Michelle Pfeiffer. So it’s clear the star has caught Sheridan’s eye.
Bruce Greenwood
Bruce Greenwood also knows his way around a Western. He starred in the 2011 Western drama Meek’s Cutoff as Stephen Meek, who is leading a group of settlers into new territory through the Oregon desert in 1845. The film takes a turn for the worse as the party’s limited supplies dwindle and they turn on Meek. The film is a different take on the standard western genre, and showcases Greenwood’s knack for drama.
Bill Pullman
Bill Pullman, who is close in age with Costner, also has some western experience under his belt, with The Ballad of Lefty Brown, Wyatt Earp, The Virginian and more. Pullman is always a grounded presence on screen and could certainly bring back the rugged toughness Costner offered in Yellowstone. The actor even narrated a documentary series about Yellowstone Park, titled Epic Yellowstone.