Aurora Starchild
Yellowstone fans have been left in limbo as rumors abound that the show may be ending soon. But for those who really just want to see Kevin Costner in a cowboy hat, there’s good news. Costner is gearing up to host and produce a new History Channel series, tentatively named Kevin Costner’s The West.
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Yellowstone Star Will Host, Co-Executive Produce Kevin Costner’s The West
A+E Networks (History Channel’s parent company) announced the new show in a press release. Noting that Kevin Costner’s The West is a “working title,” the release said he would be hosting and executive producing alongside “Pulitzer-Prize-winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin.
The 8-episode series will “will transcend the clichés and myths of the ‘Wild West’ and from a myriad of perspectives capture the spirit of opportunity, adventure and peril through the diverse, complex characters and untold stories that defined the era and continue to shape our country today.”
A+E Networks Group President and Chairman Paul Buccieri teased a bit more about the series. “The stories of the American West are gripping and riveting narratives—some that are familiar and others that have yet to be told—yet all of them deserve to be shared on a large scale,” he said.
Kevin Costner Gave a Statement in the A+E Press Release About the New Series
I am in love with history. I love the rich, heroic and harrowing stories of the West. The people and their stories have always held a fascination for me, but there’s an urgency today to put those times and the men and women who we think we know in perspective, in the context of their times, without judgement. This particular West project is significant for me as it marks a return to The HISTORY Channel, the home of my first foray into television with the ‘Hatfields & McCoys’, and an opportunity to partner with the legendary biographer and historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, who so artfully weaves together important stories that are at once expansive, intimate and true.
Statement from Kevin Costner on A+E Networks Press Release for Kevin Costner’s The West
Is This the Beginning of Costner’s Exit From Yellowstone?
Some have questioned why he didn’t mention Yellowstone in his press statement about Kevin Costner’s The West. But it seems that they don’t understand that one doesn’t generally shout out to competing networks in these situations. Yes, there are some hackle-raising rumors about Costner butting heads with Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan, who might respond by killing off John Dutton. And yes, Costner did give a home video acceptance speech for a Golden Globe without mentioning the show at all. That was weird.
Maybe the new History Channel series is Kevin Costner’s golden ticket to move on to new things? He’s previously mentioned only having a finite attention span for TV series. And his wife Christine Baumgartner has reportedly demanded that he quit Yellowstone. At some point, a person’s got to draw a line somewhere. Marital problems and boredom, on top of a toxic relationship with the show’s creator? That certainly sounds like enough reasons to kick rocks… Or better, find something fulfilling to do.
Costner Has Worked on Historical Westerns with History Channel Before
Luckily for Kevin Costner, the History Channel series will give him an opportunity to stick with his favorite genre. And he also gets to circle back to a network that gives him positive vibes. Hatfields & McCoys (2012) wasn’t even close to his first western— that was Silverado in 1985. But it was a Western about feuding families (sounds vaguely familiar). And each of its three installments broke TV rating records for History Channel.
Hatfields & McCoys was also a period drama based on historical events, which might give Costner a sense of relief when it comes to feuds and never-ending TV series. Kevin Costner’s The West already has a finish line and its story already happened — it just needs to be told.
“Told through extraordinary characters, historical archive and distinguished expert interviews, Kevin Costner’s The West (w.t.) will capture a multi-layered portrait of the American frontier from the literal trailblazers to the law enforcers and the bloody battles for both land and freedom,” the A+E press statement continued. “By deepening the audience’s understanding of this transformative period in our country’s past, the series will also illuminate how the stories of The West continue to impact the nation today.”
