It’s been over two years since Kevin Costner shockingly exited Yellowstone, leading to his character, John Dutton, being unceremoniously killed off-screen in the popular series. While the actor’s departure and the behind-the-scenes difficulties that fueled his exit were extensively covered at the time, a new report has emerged that sheds new light on an explosive fight between Costner and his Yellowstone co-star Wes Bentley that had managed to go unreported until now.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Costner lost his cool with his on-screen son Bentley between takes during filming on Yellowstone. The pair, who were filming a scene with Kelly Reilly, reportedly disagreed on how to act the scene, with Costner wanting Bentley to “ditch” the dialogue present in the script by series creator Taylor Sheridan and play it his way. Bentley refused the demand, telling Costner that Sheridan was the reason he signed on to do the show, not him. “Kevin didn’t like that, and he lunged at him,” recalled one source who was present for the tense exchange. “No fists were thrown, but they were in each other’s faces, pushing and shoving and just getting hot until they had to be separated.”

Another witness shared that Reilly was left in tears over the conflict and that production was temporarily paused as a result. While previous reports from around the time of Costner’s exit had hinted that his Yellowstone co-stars had grown tired of his inflated ego, this is the first detailed account of one of the many behind-the-scenes disagreements that ultimately led to the actor’s departure, as well as the one that likely sealed Costner’s fate on the show.

Costner’s Spat With Bentley Likely Sealed His Fate on Yellowstone

“The incident with Wes was the line in the sand. Everything was different after that,” shared a different source who was also present for the fight. “Everyone loved Wes and so that really made Taylor upset. Kevin and Taylor butted heads from there on out. It got very awkward.” Costner’s spokesperson declined to comment on the fight, while Bentley’s spokesperson confirmed, but downplayed it, calling it merely a “work related argument during an emotional and physically tough scene,” which was “discussed and resolved.”

Despite worries from some of the fandom that Costner’s sudden exit might hurt Yellowstone, the show returned in November 2024 to record-breaking viewership. While the namesake ranch met its end by the end of the show, the franchise itself remains alive and well, with multiple spinoffs currently in development. The first that will hit the small screen will be the Kayce Dutton-centered Y: Marshals, following Luke Grimes’ character as he joins an “elite team of U.S. Marshals.”

The next, The Dutton Ranch, is expected to be the closest successor to Yellowstone, focusing on Kelly Reilly’s Beth Dutton and Cole Hauser’s Rip Wheeler as they begin their next chapter together on their titular 7,000-acre land. The remaining spinoff, The Madison, is expected to be a standalone expansion of the franchise, as no Yellowstone alumni have so far been confirmed to appear in the upcoming show.