Was Kevin Costner and ‘Yellowstone’ break up worth it? Watch trailer of movie behind split

“Yellowstone” fans finally have a chance to see what movie project drew Kevin Costner out of the show for good.

Word broke in February that the back half of the latest “Yellowstone” season could be the show’s last with Costner as John Dutton. Scheduling conflicts with Costner’s multi-part western movie epic “Horizon: An American Saga” precluding the star from continuing his role as patriarch of the Montana ranch family.

Paramount confirmed in early May that “Yellowstone” would indeed end in its current form with the final episodes of season 5. However, a sequel show is said to be in the works that could feature a few familiar faces from the flagship series.

The first teaser trailer for “Horizon: An American Saga” was released Thursday, offering fans their first glimpse at what Costner’s been up to.

“Horizon: An American Saga” will be release in two parts next year — the first hitting theaters on June 28 and the second just a few weeks later on Aug. 16.

Plot details are slim what the two-part movie event is about, beyond a short synopsis that reads, “Chronicles a multi-faceted, 15-year span of pre- and post-Civil War expansion and settlement of the American west.”

>> BREAKING NEWS <<

Today's other top stories in Fort Worth:

• Thousands without power after Wednesday storms

• Carla Walker's 1974 murder: Her killer has died

• Ex-Fort Worth cop fights for compensation after prison

Get free alerts when news breaks.

Regardless of plot, Costner has his hands all over the films. Not only does the 68-year-old actor star in the movies, but he also directs and co-writes alongside Jon Baird.

A plethora of stars join Costner in the two movies including Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Jenna Malone, Michael Rooker, Danny Huston, Abbey Lee and Texas-born actor Luke Wilson.

How often are two-part movies released in the same year?

Two-part movies are the trick of the trade in Hollywood, but they don’t typically release in the same year.

Just this summer, “Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning Part One” and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” both released part one of a two-part story. The part two for both franchise films are expected to release next year.

While a year long turnaround is typical for a two-part theatrical movie event, the same can’t be said for Costner and Warner Bros. who are aiming to release both “Horizon: An American Saga” films within just seven weeks of each other.

While this might be the first time a two-part movie event releases theatrically in the same year, the same can’t be said for sequels and prequels in a franchise.

Just four years after “The Matrix” in 1999, the franchise’s two sequels — “The Matrix: Reloaded” and “The Matrix: Revolutions”— both released within months of each other in 2003. More recently, director Ti West released his horror film “X” in March 2022 and its prequel “Pearl” in September.

When will the second half of ‘Yellowstone’ season 5 air?

Regardless of Costner’s status on the show, it will likely be months if not longer before “Yellowstone” comes back.

Hollywood is the middle of a Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strike. The guild is pushing for more equitable contracts, with the main focus on residuals and the the use of artificial intelligence in projects.

The Writer’s Guild of America were on strike for several months, but secured a new contract in late September. Even though the writers are back in the office, a majority of projects have not resumed filming since the actors are still on strike.

But there is some movement on the actor’s strike, with the SAG-AFTRA guild meeting with film and television studios this week and into the weekend, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Whenever a contract is reached, it will likely take some time to schedule filming dates for the “Yellowstone” cast and crew.

However, “Yellowstone” is airing on television this fall, but not how you might expect. CBS is airing old episodes of “Yellowstone” every week on Sundays after NFL games around 7:30 p.m.