Yellowstone’s Kevin Costner says UK release turned down before Paramount+ | TV & Radio | Showbiz & TV
Western fans in the UK have been itching to get their hands on Kevin Costner’s wildly successful TV project, Yellowstone, since it originally premiered on the Paramount Network in 2018. Now the drama is available to watch on the network’s new worldwide streaming platform, Kevin spoke to Lorraine Kelly on ITV this week about his original attempts to give audiences on the other side of the Atlantic a chance to tune in.
Kevin revealed he first tried to sell Yellowstone to UK distributors three years ago.
The Hollywood actor opened up about the show’s momentous success with TV host Lorraine, and why it has only just become available in other territories.
“It’s been phenomenally successful,” Lorraine said. “I just can’t believe it’s taken so long for us to get it over here. And now we finally can, tonight!”
The Yellowstone star assured Lorraine the delay to the show’s UK debut was no fault of his own.
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He replied: “I know, I came over about three years ago… I read the script, I actually came to London.”
Kevin and the producers attempted to pitch the series to UK buyers, who, unfortunately, weren’t convinced it would find its audience.
“They said, ‘You’re really going to do this?’ I said, ‘Yeah’,” he recalled.
“And there was a whole bunch of people. So I guess you had a chance to buy it then.”
Despite UK viewers being late to the party, Kevin doesn’t think Yellowstone’s staggered release will affect the show’s legacy.
“So you get to play catch-up, which is fine,” he told Lorraine. “And that’s why you make movies [and TV shows] to begin with.
“That’s something you need to keep in the back of your mind. At least I do. Which is, sometimes movies are disposable.
“Movies are made and they don’t have a big opening weekend or something like that, and they’re considered, well, they’re not a success, or whatever.”
“I don’t think that way. I think it’s important that now it’s coming here, but it doesn’t change anything that it’s four years later.”
Even without the cinema release which usually spearheads Kevin’s projects, Yellowstone has still managed to become one of the biggest hits of his career.
Viewers in the UK can now finally get the chance to catch up with the epic Dutton saga ahead of the series returning for its highly anticipated fifth season this November.
Yellowstone season 5 premieres Sunday, November 13 on the Paramount Network and seasons 1-3 are available to stream in the UK on Paramount+.
