Kevin Costner has revealed the “special film” that’s been on his “heart this week.” Taking to Instagram, Costner shared artwork from the 2003 film Open Range, which he both directed and starred in. The film’s cast also included Robert Duvall, Annette Bening, Michael Jeter, and the late Sir Michael Gambon, who passed away in September.
“Love this art from [Thobias Daneluz], @lastcinemahero and @kevincostnerifc,” the actor wrote in the post’s caption. “It’s been 20 years since I directed Open Range. A really special film that’s been on my heart this week with the passing of the unfailingly kind Michael Gambon. He was a huge talent that I feel lucky to have worked with. May he rest in peace.”
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The new post comes as Costner’s Paramount Network series Yellowstone is set to come to an end, following his exit from the show, which has played out quite messy. In September, it was reported that, at one point, the actor was “begging” to return. According to Puck News, reps for Costner reached out to Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan and Paramount network to try and get Costner back on the show after it was announced that he wouldn’t be back. The outlet stated that Costner’s reps were “basically begging” for Sheridan to let Costner return.
Puck says that Costner’s reps indicated the actor had changed his mind about leaving and wanted to return for the rest of Season 5, and possibly even a sixth season. However, once Sheridan got on the phone with Costner to discuss terms, things soured. Among Costner’s requests were more money, a shorter filming schedule, and the right to review, approve, and/or veto each script. Sheridan was said to not be open to these demands, so the potential deal fell through.
Over the summer, Sheridan opened up about the recent controversy surrounding the show, and even revealed that Costner has had some problems as far back as Season 2. In an extensive interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Sheridan offered his candid perspective on the show and its inevitable end. During the conversation, an “anonymous claim” came up, in which a source had claimed that Costner was unhappy with the direction of his character, John Dutton, and that Sheridan’s reply was encouraging him to “stick to acting.”
“I never had that conversation with Kevin,” Sheridan told THR. “There was a time in season two when he was very upset and said the character wasn’t going in the direction he wanted. I said, ‘Kevin, you do remember that I told you this is essentially The Godfather on the largest ranch in Montana? Are you that surprised that the Godfather is killing people?’ What he’s clung to is [Dutton’s] commitments to his family and way of life. Dutton’s big failing is not evolving with the times – not finding different revenue streams [for the ranch].”
“Kevin felt season two was deviating from that, and I don’t know that he was wrong,” Sheridan added. “In season three, we steered back into it. And I recall him winning a Golden Globe last year for his performance, so I think it’s working.” Yellowstone will be back to conclude its fifth and final season, though no premiere date has been set.
