Yellowstone Director Shocked by Fan Outcry Over John Dutton’s Death

Fans obviously didn’t get the memo when Kevin Costner said he was exiting ‘Yellowstone,’ and if they did, they thought his character would have been written out with a little more respect than a gunshot to the head.

Since the return of ‘Yellowstone’s’ season 5B, fans have been finding new ways to make fun of the Paramount show, including comparing it to the ‘Game of Thrones’ lackluster ending.

‘Yellowstone’ Director Explains Why Fans’ Reaction To Kevin Costner’s John Dutton Was Unusual

While Kevin Costner’s exit from ‘Yellowstone’ was announced as far back as early 2023, fans were still caught off-guard by his character’s death in the hit series. This, in turn, led to a massive fan outrage online.

“I was reading Twitter and it’s strange the number of people who seemed upset that John Dutton was killed off, despite knowing that Kevin himself said he wasn’t coming back to the show,” Christina Voros, the director of the last two episodes, told The Hollywood Reporter in a recent chat.

She continued, “I think even in the face of that information, people don’t want it to be true. And in a weird way, it’s life imitating art.

There were a lot of people who were outraged that John was killed — and you’re supposed to be outraged he was killed. The characters are outraged that he’s killed. So in a strange way, it is the point. You are not supposed to be OK with it.”

Yellowstone Kevin Costner Open To Return, Having Discussions With Creator, Taylor Sheridan

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Fans React To Kevin Costner’s Murder In ‘Yellowstone’

If you want to see fans that are not okay with a character’s death, look to ‘Yellowstone’ fans. After the family patriarch died in the latest episode, fans have taken to social media to express their anger.

“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 fumed, with another writing, “Nobody will convince me 5B of Yellowstone is not Taylor Sheridan’s revenge tour on Kevin Costner. Keeping Summer held hostage for sex really? That’s not John Dutton. This writing is something else.”

“I waited a year and they kill off John Dutton?!” another fan exclaimed.

A fan suggested that temporarily writing off the character would have worked better for the show: “The most baffling part is that they focus half of the first 2 episodes on flashbacks where John is not involved. They could’ve just did that for the rest of S5 and then try to get Costner back in for S6. A plotline about trying to run the farm without John because he’s busy works.”

Do you think John Dutton deserves a better ending?

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