What happens to John Dutton on Yellowstone? Kevin Costner's dramatic exit in season 5, episode 9 explained

Warning - this article contains major spoilers for Yellowstone season 5 episode 9.

Fan speculation is rife following the abrupt conclusion to Kevin Costner's tenure as John Dutton on Yellowstone, which wrapped up his six-year run in seconds. Despite show creator Taylor Sheridan reportedly being a "fan" of Costner before they worked together, relations have seemingly soured with the actor confirming his focus will shift to the Horizon franchise post-Yellowstone, a move made amidst the series' box office struggles.

Sheridan seems to have taken Costner's decision to heart, as evidenced by John Dutton's startlingly swift departure; portrayed as a probable suicide within the very start of season five, leaving both viewers and family members on-screen questioning what actually transpired.

The sudden narrative twist even caught director Christina Voros off guard, who confessed to The Hollywood Reporter her astonishment, saying she didn't "see it coming."

Despite her initial shock, Voros applauds Sheridan's daring choice calling it "incredibly brave", reports the Mirror.

In discussing why Dutton's exit was so rapid, Voros added, "I can't talk to the decision: It's Taylor's world. He made the bold decision. It's a tricky question, because I don't want to foreshadow anything that's coming. Because it has to do with the writing."

She also voiced the opinion that delaying the departure would not have benefitted the storytelling, particularly since fans were aware that Costner's days on the show were numbered.

"I think rather than stringing people along to get to a place everyone sees coming, the decision to just open with it is really brave and really interesting," commented the director.

Voros also discussed Costner's unexpected exit, highlighting that his character's influence will continue to resonate with the others.

"In the absence of John, the family has to come together to shoulder the weight of the world, much in the same way as the cast has come together to shoulder the weight of his absence in such a bold and beautiful way," she expressed.

Voros attributed the smooth transition to Sheridan's rapport with the ensemble.

"I think it is testament to his faith in the characters and the actors who embody them to go, 'Let's not make this about the incident. Let's make this about how these human beings exist in the aftermath.' That was more interesting to [Taylor] than the incident itself," she elaborated.

Yellowstone season 5, part 2 continues Sundays on Paramount and the following Monday on Paramount+.