Actor Cole Hauser, who stars as Rip Wheeler in the American neo-Western TV series Yellowstone, has heard a lot of fan theories about the show’s upcoming final episodes — and he’s not shy about dispelling them. “Everyone has their own ideas about where the story is headed,” Hauser shared, “but to be quite honest, none of them are right.” Hauser’s comments add to the suspense as Yellowstone moves toward its highly anticipated conclusion.
The series, which premiered in 2018 and quickly rose to become the top-rated scripted show in the United States, follows the lives of the Dutton family, owners of the sprawling Yellowstone Dutton Ranch in Montana. The Duttons face relentless challenges to protect their land from developers, neighboring communities, and environmental pressures. The show stars Kevin Costner, who played patriarch John Dutton, as well as Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly, and others, and has spun off two series, broadening the Yellowstone universe.
Season five, which was divided into two parts, has heightened the drama, with intense power struggles and complex family dynamics. Fans have been eagerly waiting to see how it will all end. The final six episodes began airing for U.S. audiences on Sunday on the Paramount Network and premiered in the United Kingdom on Monday.
The show’s creators have taken extraordinary steps to keep the conclusion under wraps, even redating scripts to avoid leaks. Cast members, including Hauser, revealed that some were kept in the dark about the show’s ending to ensure secrecy. Hauser, while respecting fans’ engagement, is confident that they’ll be surprised by the actual storyline.
The final episodes will unfold without Kevin Costner, who announced his departure from the series in May 2023. Costner’s exit created a mix of emotions on set, with the cast experiencing both a sense of loss and a new wave of creative energy. Kelly Reilly, who plays Beth Dutton, noted that while the shift due to Costner’s absence required adjustments, it ultimately inspired a creative pivot that aligned with the vision of series creator Taylor Sheridan. “The way Taylor has ended this season is the way he always intended to,” she explained, addressing speculation and media interpretations about Costner’s exit.
As Yellowstone nears its final chapter, fans are left to anticipate an ending that defies their expectations and concludes the gripping saga of the Dutton family. With Hauser’s statement that “none of them are right,” fans are reminded that even the most popular theories won’t capture what the creators have in store for the series finale.
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