Taylor Sheridan Officially Leaves Paramount in 2028: What That Means For ‘Yellowstone-verse’
My 16-year-old nephew jokingly refers to Paramount+ as Sheridan+. “What’s the latest on Sheridan+?” he asks every four months because he has calculus and quantum physics classes and can’t keep up with everything. It’s hard to keep up with Taylor Sheridan even if your schedule isn’t packed. He is one of the most industrious writer-producers of all time, having made a whopping 11 shows for Paramount+… all in under eight years. He deserves a lot of credit for putting Paramount on the map, and he might take it off the map, too. Taylor Sheridan is set to leave Paramount in 2028. In late 2025, various outlets reported that the Landman creator had closed a $1 billion, five-year movie-and-television deal with NBCUniversal. The deal will begin January 1, 2029, after Sheridan’s TV deal with Paramount officially ends. His close collaborator and producing partner, David Glasser, and his 101 Studios are also moving with him. When I told my nephew about it recently, he was confused. Why would Mr. Paramount leave, and what does this mean for the Yellowstone franchise?
Why Taylor Sheridan Is Leaving Paramount
How do you imagine the meeting between Sheridan and Paramount execs went before he decided to sign a deal with NBCUniversal? Like a sad lover, did they say, “Why are you leaving? I gave you everything!” Or did they hit him with the classic “Adios! Don’t let the door hit you… where the good Lord split ya!” If I had to guess, I’d say it’s the latter. Taylor Sheridan isn’t ungrateful. He didn’t just wake up and decide to quit the company that made him a star. After all, Paramount gave him a chance when no one else would. In his 2023 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Sheridan revealed that several platforms turned down Yellowstone. He recalls a Warner Bros. executive telling him, “Look, it just feels so Middle America.” He said:
“We’re HBO, we’re avant-garde, we’re trendsetters. This feels like a step backward. And frankly, I’ve got to be honest, I don’t think anyone should be living out there [in rural Montana]. It should be a park or something. “
Ouch! So why did Sheridan choose to walk away from a playground where he had the most fun? SlashFilm reveals that new execs didn’t seem to care that they were dealing with a goose known for laying golden eggs. Sheridan received word that following the merger of Skydance and Paramount, he wouldn’t enjoy the same level of autonomy as before. Previously, the partnership had been a hands-off one, with Sheridan telling his stories as he pleased, without writers’ rooms. He was also allowed to spend as much money as he wished. After all, his shows always made a profit.
Apparently, the meddling began soon after the merger. Sheridan submitted a pitch for a movie titled Capture the Flag, and Skydance Chief Creative Officer Dana Goldberg responded with a lot of notes. The Yellowstone creator wasn’t used to such micromanagement. Additionally, the new leadership was unhappy with Sheridan’s massive production budget and was considering canceling his rapidly improving thriller series, Lioness. They even greenlit a separate show starring Nicole Kidman (who stars in Lioness) without informing him first. As all this was happening, Donna Langley, the prominent chair of NBCUniversal, approached Sheridan. She made a very lucrative offer that promised the same amount of creative control he was used to. And just like that, the deal was sealed. Same ol’ story, right? We’ve seen it play out numerous times in life and in professional spaces. Once a valued creator isn’t given what they want, they’re likely to leave.
What Sheridan’s Paramount Exit Means for ‘Yellowstone’
It would be great to get a direct clarification from the horse’s mouth, particularly the alpha horse at 6666 Ranch. Sadly, Taylor Sheridan rarely gives interviews and hasn’t addressed this matter yet. Still, the deal’s timeline gives a picture of what the future of the Yellowstone franchise might look like. Since Sheridan is bound to Paramount until December 31, 2028, he’s still contractually obligated to write and executive-produce all Yellowstone projects. We can expect two or three more seasons of Marshals and Dutton Ranch each. Unfortunately, Sheridan won’t be able to pack his bags as Paramount retains 100% ownership of the Intellectual Property (IP) for everything he created there, as confirmed by several media outlets, including Deadline. I wish Sheridan’s deal were similar to that of Steven S. DeKnight and Starz. Following the cancellation of the impressive Spartacus: House of Ashur, the creator is now looking for a new home. Sheridan, on the other hand, will have to create new movies and TV shows for Universal and Peacock, leaving Yellowstone at the mercy of Paramount execs. This means that new writers and producers could easily be hired to make more spin-offs. This isn’t ideal, as anyone new might struggle to stick to Sheridan’s vision. However, it’s likely to happen.
The best-case scenario involves Sheridan wrapping up all his shows perfectly by the end of his contract. 2028 could be a year of Sheridan finales, with Landman, Lioness, and Tulsa King all ending. His fans are likely to follow him on Peacock (the new Sheridan+). Even so, Paramount is unlikely to suffer because Paramount+ is set to merge with HBO Max after the Warner Bros. Discovery merger. There will still be plenty of great shows to watch.
How do you feel about it?
