‘Yellowstone’ has finally started filming its final six episodes

YellowstoneThe final six episodes of the series are finally officially filming after months of delays due to the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes.

Paramount Network announced this on Monday, May 20 Yellowstone has “started production” on the second half of season 5, which was originally set to air last summer. “The mega-hit series, produced by MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios, is currently filming in Montana,” according to a press release from the network. “As previously announced, the series will return in November.”

Yellowstone fans have been waiting for more than a year for the return of the Dutton family, who were last seen on TV in January 2023. After the first half of season 5 wrapped that month, rumors swirled that the star Kevin Costner held back production because he was unhappy with the show’s filming schedule. His lawyer quickly denied those rumors, but Paramount confirmed it in May 2023 Yellowstone would end after the second half of season 5.

The WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes kept the show from filming for much of 2023, but after both work stoppages were lifted in September and November respectively, the final episodes of Yellowstone still appeared to be out of the works. Costner’s return also remained a major question mark, as he claimed in court documents related to his divorce that he had completed his work on the show and would not be returning for new episodes.

Costner, 69, recently broke his silence on the behind-the-scenes drama, slamming “bullshit rumors” that he was responsible for the production delays.

“I’ve taken a beating from those damn boys and I often know where it comes from,” he said Deadline earlier this month. “I just chose not to comment on that. But if you know me well enough, I made it Yellowstone the first priority, and to insinuate otherwise would be wrong. I didn’t initiate any of these things. They did.”

He also claimed that his new film, Horizon: an American sagawas not in conflict with Yellowstone‘s filming schedule, as previous reports suggested. “That’s not true,” he said. “That’s a lie. That’s not correct. They sent me away for seven days to go to London, to go to England during Covid, to do things [promotion]. They drew up the contract and picked the days.”

According to Costner, the reason season 5B was never filmed is because there was no script. “I left exactly when they wanted me to, and that made it difficult for me. It turns out they didn’t have the scripts for 5B. They took another four days to complete the first eight episodes,” he claimed. “I left early to give them what they needed for a full eight, and I was sad that the crowd didn’t get a ten.”

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He then decided to offer “a week” of his time to Yellowstone to finish out the season. “I really didn’t have the time to give them that week, but I said I will,” he recalled. ‘And then her [spun that] I only wanted to work for a week.”

Costner said he is “very open to coming back.” Yellowstone, but he did not specify whether any decisions have been made about the future of his character, John Dutton. When Season 5A ended, John was Governor of Montana, but his son Jamie (Wes Bentley) was about to force his ouster. His daughter Beth (Kelly Reilly), was willing to kill Jamie – and John seemingly agreed that it was the right thing to do.

Yellowstone Season 5B premieres in November on Paramount Network.