It’s official: Kevin Costner will not be returning to the Dutton Ranch. After more than a year of speculation that the actor had walked away from his hit series Yellowstone to focus on other professional projects, Costner finally confirmed he won’t be returning as John Dutton III for part two of the Paramount series’ fifth and final season. “I just wanted to reach out and let you know that, after this long year-and-a-half of working on Horizon, and doing all the things that that’s required,” the 69-year-old said in a June 20 Instagram video, “and thinking about Yellowstone-that beloved series that I love, that I know you love-I just realized that I am not going to be able to continue season 5-B, or into the future.” However, the Oscar winner admitted he’s forever grateful for the once-in-a-lifetime rol e as the patriarch of the fictional Montana ranching family. “It was something that really changed me,” Costner, who starred on the drama for four and a half seasons from 2018 to 2022, added. “I loved it and I know you loved it. I just wanted to let you know that I won’t be returning.” However, he hopes fans will follow him to the theaters when his new four-part Western film saga Horizon premieres June 28. “I love the relationship we’ve been able to develop,” Costner concluded, “and I’ll see you at the movies.” The Hatfields & McCoys alum’s announcement came one day after Paramount revealed the long-awaited second half of season five will debut Nov. 10. Costner’s rumored exit in early 2023 shocked not only fans, but his co-workers too. In fact, Yellowstone creator Tyler Sheridan admitted he didn’t expect the actor to bow out early. “I’m disappointed,” Sheridan told The Hollywood Reporter last June. “It truncates the closure of his character. It doesn’t alter it, but it truncates it.” “My last conversation with Kevin was that he had this passion project he wanted to direct,” Sheridan added of his unexpected departure. “He and the network were arguing about when he could be done with Yellowstone. I said, ‘We can certainly work a schedule toward [his preferred exit date],’ which we did.”