Luke Grimes discussed the emotional impact of continuing Yellowstone without Kevin Costner and what the future holds for the Dutton family.

All good things must come to an end. It’s an age-old phrase, but when you’re standing at the crossroads of a beloved TV series like Yellowstone, that ending can feel a lot more complicated than a simple closure.

As the Dutton family saga approaches its final act in Season 5, viewers are bracing for more than just the conclusion of the story—they’re dealing with a noticeable absence. Kevin Costner, the cornerstone of Yellowstone as patriarch John Dutton, will not return for the show’s final stretch, following a highly publicized fallout with creator Taylor Sheridan.

Yellowstone | Credit: Paramount Network
What’s left behind, however, is a show determined to keep riding, even without its original lead. As fans prepare for the second half of Yellowstone’s fifth season, Luke Grimes, who portrays John’s son, Kayce Dutton, has opened up about the bittersweet reality of continuing the show without Costner.

Yellowstone Season 5B: The Duttons Ride On—But Can They Do It Without Kevin Costner?

After nearly two years of waiting, the Duttons have returned yesterday to our screens, but the family drama is missing its patriarch, Kevin Costner. While the show’s creator, Taylor Sheridan, had always set the stage for the Dutton children to step up, the reality of Costner’s departure brings a different tone to what was supposed to be the grand finale. Note that in an Instagram post, the actor made it crystal clear: he’s officially out.

But Costner’s departure wasn’t the only curveball Yellowstone faced. His highly publicized feud with Sheridan was just the tip of the iceberg. Behind the scenes, the cast and crew battled countless obstacles, from scheduling conflicts to pandemic delays, all of which threatened to derail the production.

Cole Hauser, Luke Grimes, and Kevin Costner | Paramount Network
At the red carpet premiere for the season’s return, Luke Grimes, who plays Kayce Dutton, expressed a mixture of sadness and understanding about Costner’s departure (via THR):

It’s a miracle that we were able to finish the show, so that’s nice, but also I’m going to miss a lot of these people.

Grimes also reflected on the future of Yellowstone without John Dutton at the helm.

It’s hard to imagine the show without him. But that’s always where the show was headed. It was, can these kids do it without him?

For Grimes, the show had been building toward this moment. He acknowledged that the process hasn’t been easy, but the dramatic shift has cranked the intensity up a notch. “What it did do was ramp the show up to a 10 and now everything starts to unravel,” Grimes added.

With the next generation at the forefront, the story shifts. Kayce, Beth, and Jamie must now figure out how to guide the family empire without their father’s steady hand guiding them.

Yellowstone 5B: Can Rip & Beth Lead the Duttons into a New Era?

Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser in Yellowstone | Credit: Paramount Network
While John Dutton may be absent, there’s no shortage of drama left in the Dutton family. Cole Hauser, who portrays Rip Wheeler, has always been a fan favorite, and his character’s complicated relationship with Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) remains one of the show’s most compelling storylines. At the premiere, Hauser was optimistic about the show’s potential future, even without Kevin Costner:

You never know whether it’s coming to an end or not, so we’ll see. But I think what [creator] Taylor [Sheridan] wrote and the way that he kind of suited it all up, it’s wonderful and if it ends, then it ends.

As for his character and Beth’s journey, Hauser couldn’t help but express how much potential there is left to explore. “You can go on forever about these two. There’s no walls when it comes to them, no limits,” he said, adding:

As long as Taylor wants to write something special, I know Kelly and I would be interested to do it.

For many fans, Rip and Beth are the heart of the show, and their chemistry is undeniable. Whether or not the Dutton saga continues beyond Season 5, there’s a sense that these two characters will remain at the core of the drama, pulling us back in every time.

As for the rest of the cast, the mood is decidedly more reflective. Kelsey Asbille, who plays Monica Dutton, promised fans a fitting conclusion to the season:

It’s a perfect ending, a deserved ending for all the characters.

Kelly Reilly in Yellowstone | Credit: Paramount Network

Yet, despite the “perfect ending” Asbille teases, there’s a palpable sense of uncertainty. Wes Bentley, who plays Jamie Dutton, mirrored the sentiment shared by many of his co-stars:

We miss him, he’s a huge part of the show and great guy to have around.

Well, there are still many questions left unanswered. Is this really the end of the Dutton saga? Or will Taylor Sheridan and the cast find a way to continue the story in a new form? As Grimes and Hauser have hinted, there’s still a lot of potential left for the Duttons—and with characters like Rip and Beth still in play, the door is wide open for more stories to unfold.

The second part of Yellowstone Season 5 is available on Peacock Premium.