When, oh when, will Kelly Reilly return to TV, tossing her bangs and slinging curse words? Now that news of Kevin Costner’s exit from the Paramount Network hit Yellowstone is all but official, the future of the as-yet-unfinished season 5 is finally sharpening into focus. The season, comprising two parts and 14 episodes total, took a break earlier this year, with an expected return to airwaves in summer 2023. But behind-the-scenes drama pushed the production schedule into turmoil. Here’s what you need to know.
When will Yellowstone season 5 return?
The series, initially set to finish filming so that episodes could air this summer, hit a major roadblock in the form of actor-creator tensions. According to reports in Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter, Costner and Yellowstone showrunner Taylor Sheridan disagreed over shooting schedules and time commitments for the series. Sheridan—and Paramount Network as a whole—also chose to move forward on a series “extension” starring Matthew McConaughey, “regardless of whether Costner returns to the original,” per THR. Finally, in early May 2023, Entertainment Tonight reported that Costner would officially exit the flagship series after season 5. John Dutton’s fate, then, seems sealed.
Initially, the cast and crew were set to film the remainder of season 5 in March 2023, but the aforementioned turmoil created a signifiant delay. Per ET, there is still “no update” on when production will finally begin again. Presumably, with Costner’s exit official, the series can move to film this summer and then air the rest of season 5 this fall—but that’s purely conjecture as of yet.
What time do Yellowstone episodes come out?
New episodes of Yellowstone typically drop simultaneously on the Paramount Network app (not to be confused with Paramount+) and website at the same time the show airs on Paramount Network, at 8 p.m. EST on Sunday nights. When the show finally returns to wrap up season 5, it will likely follow this same schedule.
Watch Yellowstone on Paramount Network
Can I watch Yellowstone on a streaming service, without cable?
While previous seasons of Yellowstone are currently streaming on Peacock, season 5 won’t be available on the NBC streamer until after the entire season has run its course. If you want to watch Yellowstone season 5 as it airs, you’ll need to have a cable package that allows you access to Paramount Network, or you’ll want to purchase a live TV streaming service such as Philo, Fubo TV, Hulu + Live TV, or YouTube TV. You can also pre-purchase the entirety of season 5 on Amazon Prime for $39.99, allowing you to stream each episode as it drops on Sundays.
Watch Yellowstone on Amazon Prime
How many episodes are in Yellowstone Season 5?
Season 5 will be split into two seven-episode parts, for a total of 14 episodes.
When does the next episode of Yellowstone Season 5 come out?
The following episodes are available now:
- Episode 1, “One Hundred Years is Nothing,” streaming as of Nov. 13
- Episode 2, “The Sting of Wisdom,” streaming as of Nov. 13
- Episode 3, “Tall Drink of Water,” streaming as of Nov. 20
- Episode 4, “Horses in Heaven,” streaming as of Nov. 27
- Episode 5, “Watch ‘Em Ride Away,” streaming as of Dec. 4
- Episode 6, “Cigarettes, Whiskey, A Meadow, and You,” streaming as of Dec. 11
- Episode 7, “The Dream Is Not Me,” streaming as of Dec. 18
- Episode 8, “A Knife and No Coin,” streaming as of Jan. 1, 2023
The air dates for the next set of episodes are yet to be announced.
This story will be updated.
Lauren Puckett-Pope is a staff culture writer at ELLE, where she primarily covers film, television and books. She was previously an associate editor at ELLE.
