Costner says he’s no fan of sequels as writing often suffers

American actor, film director, and producer Kevin Costner arrives on the red carpet for the global celebration of the film “Hidden Figures” at the SVA Theatre, Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016 in New York. (https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54213474Photo By NASA/Bill Ingalls – https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasahqphoto/31190930230/, Public Domain)

PASADENA, Calif. — Kevin Costner isn’t a big believer in doing film sequels for a simple reason.

Costner told TV critics Monday that the writing often isn’t as good as in the original movie and it’s the screenplay that draws him to a project.

He says that’s why he’s starring in “Yellowstone,” a 10-part drama series debuting June 20 on the new Paramount Television network, the rebranded Spike TV.

The actor says that when he likes a script, it isn’t just because he has a good part, but that all the characters are “doing a nice dance.”

Costner plays the owner of a vast, family-owned ranch who is trying to resist encroachment by developers and others. The ensemble cast includes Wes Bentley, Kelly Reilly, Jill Hennessey and Josh Lucas.