The previous installment of the series had 8 episodes.
After a substantial delay, production on the final season of Yellowstone is set to resume this summer, and it seems that we may be getting slightly more than anticipated. Josh Lucas, who plays the younger John Dutton (played by Kevin Costner) in flashback scenes, has revealed that there could be more episodes than first planned for the final part of the Dutton family saga. Lucas has previously spoken of his desire to continue playing John Dutton in his own spin-off.
Speaking to Deadline while doing interviews on the red carpet, as he was attending the premiere of Apple TV+’s Palm Royale, Lucas gave a brief update on the status of the series. The actor noted that he expects he will be saddling up once more as young John Dutton for Season 5, Part 2, following communications with the series creator Taylor Sheridan. He said:
“I did text Taylor [Sheridan, co-creator] a couple of months back and said, ‘Hey man, I’ve loved working on the show so much’. He’s like, ‘well we’ll be back’. I think we’re going to do ten or so more episodes and wrap up the story.”
What to Expect From ‘Yellowstone’s Final Season
While Lucas is set to return as the younger John Dutton, the future of the present-day incarnation could best be described at this point as “up in the air,” following the dispute between Costner and Sheridan. At the end of Season 5, Part 1, Costner’s Governor Dutton, is set to face an impeachment trial in Montana’s state capitol building, in Helena, following a concentrated campaign by his adopted son, Jamie (played by Wes Bentley), to drive him out of office.
Meanwhile, Jamie and his sister Beth (Kelly Reilly) are at a breaking point in their relationship. Their toxic, poisonous, and volatile relationship has now reached a fever pitch and both of them have come to the tragic conclusion that the only way either of them will find resolution to the conflict is with the death of the other. As for Lucas, his portrayal covers pivotal moments in John Dutton’s life, including struggles to maintain control over the family’s vast land holdings, personal losses, and the beginnings of the family’s ongoing conflicts with surrounding communities and adversaries. With Costner unlikely to return to help finish the story, Sheridan may lean more than anticipated on flashbacks to give a sense of completion to John Dutton’s story.
Yellowstone is due to air on Paramount at the end of 2024. The series is streaming now on Paramount+.