Kevin Costner Is Hyping A 'Return To The Ranch' Ahead Of Yellowstone Season 4

One of the biggest TV shows of the past five years is no doubt Paramount Network's Yellowstone, which has legitimately cemented Kevin Costner's TV stardom that was first built up by his roles on miniseries such as Hatfields & McCoys. The western drama has built up a huge viewership in its first three seasons, with the most recent delivering a gobsmacker of a finale that put most of the main characters in dire straits. Though we still have months to wait until we see the characters returning for Season 4, Costner is getting fans pumped about returning to the Dutton's prestigious and highly sought-after ranch.

After having recently promoted Paramount Network's Yellowstone marathons tied to Valentine's Day, Kevin Costner took to Instagram this week not to look back to the past, but to look forward to the future. (And hopefully it's a future in which Costner's John Dutton is alive, well, and still able to keep the ranch safe and free from villainous forces.) Check it out below.

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It kind of looks like Kevin Costner is standing in front of the biggest Bob Ross mural ever created, though it's merely one of Yellowstone's eye-popping Montana locations that make up the show's expansive eye candy. Indeed, one of the most unique elements about the show is just how damned gorgeous the settings are, especially in comparison to the dark and sometimes deadly drama that has plagued the Dutton family for years. If I was truly going up to Montana as a vacationer, those landscapes are exactly what I'd want. But as a viewer, I'm admittedly more pumped to see John and Beth Dutton completely eviscerating everyone in their paths who dare to oppose them. (I guess that goes for Jamie, too, but we'll see.)

To be expected, a huge chunk of Kevin Costner's fans chimed in on the post and shared how much they can't wait to see Yellowstone returning for Season 4. Viewers were already aware that John Dutton will survive into the first episode of Season 4, considering the amusingly dour way the Season 3 finale ended for the shot-up character and his busted cell phone. Plus, the actor talked about the woes of flipping production locations from Utah to Montana for the COVID-safe filming. But Costner's comments afterward, in which he talked about viewers seeing "an ending," don't have me soaring with optimism.

Kevin Costner is a busy celeb these days. Even beyond his steady work on Yellowstone (that will hopefully remain steady for many seasons to come), Costner is attached to the recently ordered ABC pilot National Parks, a years-in-the-works project which will boast Costner not as an actor, but as a writer and executive producer. Should that show go on, it likely won't impede his on-screen work elsewhere, but only time will tell.

It'll be interesting to see if Yellowstone Season 4 was able to introduce any specific elements that will be explored in the recently announced Paramount+ prequel drama Y: 1883, which will dip back more than a century into the past to show what life was like for the Dutton clan in the 19th century, during the heyday for cowboys and western ideals. Sure, the season had already finished filming before the prequel news was revealed, but I'm sure co-creator Taylor Sheridan had an inkling about where things were going as Season 4 was coming together.

Nick Venable
Assistant Managing Editor

Nick is a Cajun Country native and an Assistant Managing Editor with a focus on TV and features. His humble origin story with CinemaBlend began all the way back in the pre-streaming era, circa 2009, as a freelancing DVD reviewer and TV recapper.  Nick leapfrogged over to the small screen to cover more and more television news and interviews, eventually taking over the section for the current era and covering topics like Yellowstone, The Walking Dead and horror. Born in Louisiana and currently living in Texas — Who Dat Nation over America’s Team all day, all night — Nick spent several years in the hospitality industry, and also worked as a 911 operator. If you ever happened to hear his music or read his comics/short stories, you have his sympathy.