Did New ‘Yellowstone’ Promo Just Hint at John Dutton’s Death? (VIDEO)

Kelli Boyle August 28, 2024, 4:33 pm

Kelly Reilly as Beth and Kevin Costner as John Dutton in 'Yellowstone' Season 5 Part 2 promo — Paramount Network

Yellowstone may have just teased how John Dutton could die in Season 5 Part 2. Paramount Network dropped one of the first promos for the new season on Wednesday, August 28, and the footage features Kevin Costner as the Dutton family patriarch even though the actor won’t be seen in the upcoming episodes. Certain aspects of the chilling teaser could be a hint into how John could meet his potential end.

“Generations of blood have led to this,” the promo flashes across the screen as shots from previous episodes play out. The clips feature Costner’s John during happy and stressful times in the Dutton family home on the grounds of the ranch. (Again, these are clips from previous episodes. Costner did not film anything for Season 5 Part 2, but his character’s exit from the series will be addressed in the new episodes.)

The first shot of him is in the kitchen with Kelly Reilly‘s Beth Dutton, and then he’s seen again with his head in his hand while sitting by a fire. Flashes to a joyful family dinner with Beth and Rip (Cole Hauser) are juxtaposed by a slow pan down the empty dining room table, which has always served as a symbol of the family’s unity, or lack thereof, since Season 1.

Beth is then heard saying, “You ever wonder what this place looked like before any of us were here?” Rip says, “This is my family” before a chilling reminder of the threat Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley) now poses to his family comes in. “After everything I do for you?!” he yells in voiceover. Then Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) is heard saying, “Just don’t know how many more times we’ll get to do this.” As John replies, “Me neither, son. Me neither.” The front door to the house then slowly closes.

Don’t miss what’s coming next. Yellowstone returns Nov. 10, only on @ParamountNet. #YellowstoneTV pic.twitter.com/vJnSdiTYmJ

— Yellowstone (@Yellowstone) August 28, 2024

While these are lines from previous seasons, they’re clearly specially curated to give a sneak peek into the drama to come.

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Based on Kayce expressing a fear of time running out, the implication is that John will, in fact, be killed off instead of non-fatal exit from the series. Between the shot of John sitting by the fire and the onscreen text having a fiery effect, it seems possible that John could die in a fire that takes the whole house down. That would certainly be an explosive beginning for the season.

Jamie was planning to kill his father and sister in the Season 5 Part 1 finale, and John and Beth were ready to take Jamie to the train station as well. We’ve been theorizing that Jamie, who already murdered his biological father, will be the one to kill his adopted father as well in Season 5 Part 2, and doing it while burning down the family’s ancestral home seems like an on-par move for Jamie.

Having to rebuild the house that has been home to so many generations of Duttons before them would be a great setup for the reported Yellowstone Season 6 as well. (It was reported on August 27 by Puck News that Reilly and Hauser are in talks to continue Yellowstone with Beth and Rip at the center.)

Yellowstone Season 5 Part 2 premieres Sunday, November 10. No matter how John is written out of the series, we can’t imagine it will be a peaceful exit in a show known for high-stakes violence.

Yellowstone, Season 5 Part 2 Premiere, Sunday, November 10, 9/8c, Paramount Network