Yellowstone season 5 spoilers follow.
Note: The following article references suicide.
Yellowstone's Luke Grimes has addressed the "negative" reactions to John Dutton's death.
The hit series returned for the second half of its final season earlier this month, shocking fans with its very first episode when Kevin Costner's family patriarch was killed off after Sarah Atwood (Dawn Olivieri) had taken a hit on him.
Yellowstone fans were quick to share their disappoint over his abrupt death on social media, particularly after series director Christina Voros hinted at Costner playing an "integral" role in the show's epilogue.
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However, Kayce Dutton actor Luke Grimes has now revealed that it was always the plan for John to "go away".
"There's been some negative reactions. I think [the fans] feel sort of cheated," he said during a new interview with People.
"I think we were all lucky to have Kevin on the show as long as we did. It was always the plan for him to have to go away for the story to really ramp up, and that was the story. You lose a patriarch of the family. Can the kids do it on their own?"
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"I think originally he was supposed to die much earlier," Grimes continued. "So, in a way, they got way more of John Dutton than they were going to originally get. I would keep that in mind."
John was found lying dead on the bathroom floor with a gunshot wound to his head, which initially made it look like a suicide. However, it was later revealed that Sarah had gotten the killer to make it look that way in order to cover her tracks.
Shortly after the episode aired, Costner said he had yet to see it, saying: "I didn't see it. I heard it's a suicide, so that doesn't make me want to rush to go see it."
Addressing the idea of John dying by suicide, he added: "Well, they're pretty smart people. Maybe it's a red herring. Who knows? They're very good. And they'll figure that out."
Yellowstone streams on Paramount+.
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We encourage anyone who identifies with the topics raised in this article to reach out. Information about how to access support is available via the NHS, and organisations who can offer help include Samaritans on 116 123 or Mind on 0300 123 3393. Readers in the US are encouraged to visitmentalhealth.gov or the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Social Executive, Entertainment Portfolio After completing her joint honours degree in Journalism and English Literature at Cardiff University, Iona joined Digital Spy as a Content Production Intern in 2022, where she wrote across both news and features, specialising in TV and movies. Following her internship, Iona continued contributing to the site as a freelance reporter, becoming social executive for the Hearst UK entertainment portfolio in summer 2025. Iona now leads the DS social channels, covering red carpets with stars such as Paul Mescal, Austin Butler, and more.
