The Real Reason Yellowstone Decided To Film Season 4 In Montana

Season 4 of Yellowstone can't get here soon enough for fans.

The last we saw of the Dutton family in the season 3 finale, some unknown force had orchestrated an attack against John (Kevin Costner), Kayce (Luke Grimes), and Beth (Kelly Reilly). All of their fates hang in the balance, and while viewers have been going non-stop making theories about who could have been behind the gunfire and bombs, we won't know for sure who's behind all this until season 4 comes out later in 2021. 

Season 4 has been in production for a while now, and despite Kevin Costner's cryptic interview answers, it does appear as though he's been filming with the rest of the cast. When the season 4 premiere finally debuts, it's bound to be an emotional reunion, but amongst all the character development, you may notice something else seems off. For season 4, the series is shooting in Montana as opposed to Utah, which served as the backdrop for the previous three seasons. As it turns out, there's a pretty good reason why Paramount decided to pursue a change of scenery this time around. 

The first three seasons of Yellowstone were shot in Utah for a combined total of $80 million, which comes out to about $26 million per season (via The Salt Lake Tribune). According to The Missoulian, Paramount moved production of season 4 to Montana to utilize a new $10 million tax credit law that was passed by the Montana Legislature and went into effect in 2019. It was deemed that Montana's tax credits were more attractive than those offered by Utah, so the switch was made. 

The tax incentive has favored more than just Paramount. Local businesses have been benefitting immensely from the arrival of cast and crew members. Based on reports, they've been filming in the cities of Missoula, Darby, and Hamilton, which has been a blessing for local businesses struggling in what's been a tough year for most. 

Missoula city council member Jesse Ramos even got the chance to appear in a scene with Kevin Costner, describing it as an "awesome" experience. Ramos went on to talk about the economic advantage of having the production there, stating, "It has brought a nice revenue boon at a time when it was most needed."

By the sound of it, locals loved having the cast and crew there, so it wouldn't be a surprise if Paramount decided to come back to film Yellowstone season 5. For now, you can go back and rewatch the previous Yellowstone seasons so that you're all caught up when season 4 airs sometime in 2021.