The off-screen drama Taylor Sheridan faced this year rivaled that of many of his productions.
The 53-year-old Fort Worth native’s flagship series, Yellowstone, revealed that it is ending after five seasons despite high viewership.
The decision came in May after reports of a dispute with Kevin Costner, who stars as John Dutton, owner of the largest contiguous cattle ranch in the United States.
However, Sheridan found new success with Lawmen: Bass Reeves. The limited series is based on Reeves, one of the first Black deputy U.S. marshals west of the Mississippi River. Most of the episodes are shot in North Texas.
Paramount+ announced that the series’ first two episodes in November set a record as the streaming service’s most-watched global series premiere in 2023.
Away from his web of prequels, sequels and spinoffs, Sheridan was instrumental in the Texas Legislature, lobbying to secure a state-record $200 million for film industry incentives.
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The dispute
Without question, Sheridan’s dispute with Costner grabbed headlines. Sheridan admitted that Costner’s exit wasn’t the way he wanted to see the series come to an end.
Costner is leaving to focus on his own Western project, a four-movie saga titled Horizon, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Reports surfaced in February speculating Costner might leave the show. Something seemed amiss in April when Sheridan and Costner were no-shows at PaleyFest, an annual fan event in Hollywood.
In May, the Paramount Network announced the fifth season would be Yellowstone’s last. According to Deadline, the second half of the fifth season will premiere in November 2024.
In a June interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Sheridan didn’t seem to have hard feelings about the split.
“He took a lot of this on the chin and I don’t know that anyone deserves it,” Sheridan said. “His movie seems to be a great priority to him and he wants to shift focus. I sure hope [the movie is] worth it — and that it’s a good one.”
The Taylor Sheridan orbit
Sheridan created a universe of programming that has drawn big-name actors and actresses.
In 2022, Harrison Ford signed on to star in Sheridan’s 1923, a prequel to Yellowstone. The series also stars Helen Mirren. The actors have also signed on for a second season.
Sheridan’s Tulsa King exposed Sylvester Stallone to the heat in this region, which might be why the series moved out of Tulsa.
Lawmen: Bass Reeves attracted established stars such as Lauren E. Banks, Dennis Quaid and Donald Sutherland. The series stars David Oyelowo.
Nothing has been announced about Matthew McConaughey, who emerged as another star in Sheridan’s universe. Deadline reported that McConaughey will star in 1944, a prequel to Yellowstone.
In the Hollywood Reporter interview, Sheridan addressed McConaughey but wasn’t specific.
“We had a few conversations over the years and spitballed a few ideas,” Sheridan said. “Then he started watching Yellowstone and responded to it. He was like, ‘I want to do that.’ And by ‘that’ he meant diving into a raw world clashing up against the modern world. And then I said, ‘Buddy, that we can do.’ ”
On deck is Sheridan’s Land Man, starring Billy Bob Thornton. No date has been set for the Land Man premiere. Also in the works is 6666, about the fabled Texas ranch, which Sheridan owns.
Sheridan’s Beverly Hills-based 101 Studios also produces Mayor of Kingstown and Special Ops: Lioness. Sheridan is also the creator of The Last Cowboy, a competition series on CMT. Sheridan’s 1883, starring Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, ended its run in 2022.
The Taylor Sheridan Effect
It’s been called the Taylor Sheridan Effect, but it might be more appropriate to call it the Taylor Sheridan Influence.
In 2023, Sheridan visited Austin several times to lobby lawmakers to increase funding for media incentives. Based on rebates to filmmakers who bring their productions here, the program had been at about $45 million.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick was on board, releasing a statement declaring that “my goal is for Taylor to move all of his TV and movie production to Texas.”
Sheridan’s influence also helped create a new educational program, the Fort Worth Film Collaborative. The program will address what organizers call a growing need for trained film crews in North Texas. The Fort Worth Film Commission and Tarrant County College created the program in partnership with 101 Studios.
In the Hollywood Reporter interview, Sheridan said his film Wind River influenced the passage of the Violence Against Women Act, which underscores federal responsibility for protecting Native American women.
In response, Native rights attorney and playwright Mary Kathryn Nagle argued that long-term Native American efforts got the bill passed, not Sheridan’s film. Sheridan’s remarks also resulted in backlash from other Native Americans.
Sheridan has also gotten blowback for his recent negative comments about writers, whose strike delayed some of his projects, including 1923 and new episodes of Yellowstone.
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Man about town
Sheridan also turned heads with appearances in Dallas-Fort Worth.
Notably, he was seen in Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ suite at AT&T Stadium in Arlington during the Cowboys’ 30-10 victory against the New York Jets in September.
It might have been planned, of course. When the cameras trained on Sheridan in the second quarter, the lower third of the screen displayed a promo for Yellowstone’s premiere on CBS.
In February, Sheridan and Yellowstone co-star Cole Hauser attracted a big crowd at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. The two, who are locked in a recent lawsuit over their coffee brands, signed autographs and merchandise.
Read more about Taylor Sheridan and his productions
- Jody Dean once made a living as a broadcaster. Now, he builds Taylor Sheridan’s sets
- ‘Yellowstone’ creator Taylor Sheridan mounts a legal battle over coffee trademark
- Sidney Thompson is telling Bass Reeves’ story — and helping Taylor Sheridan do the same
- Paramount+ reveals premiere date, teaser trailer for ‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves’
- An early look at Taylor Sheridan’s latest western drama, ‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves’
- ‘Yellowstone’ actor Mo Brings Plenty finds familiar feeling on horseback in North Texas
- Mo Brings Plenty moving from Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Yellowstone’ to ‘Bass Reeves’
- Barry Pepper, the sniper in ‘Saving Private Ryan,’ joins Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Bass Reeves’
- Dennis Quaid joins cast of Taylor Sheridan’s ‘1883: The Bass Reeves Story’
- Donald Sutherland joins Taylor Sheridan’s Bass Reeves series
- ‘King Richard’ star Demi Singleton joins the cast of Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Bass Reeves’
- Taylor Sheridan talks ‘1883′ surprise ending, how it spawned ‘1923′
- Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Tulsa King’ felt the Oklahoma heat, will reportedly film elsewhere
- Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Yellowstone’ will end with season 5, spawn new sequel