It’s the Beginning of the End for Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone Empire
After years of partnership with Paramount Pictures, which has proven especially profitable for the Yellowstone franchise, Taylor Sheridan is moving on to another studio. The legendary showrunner and writer will reportedly not renew his exclusivity contract with Paramount after it expires in 2028, leaving him free to pursue offers from other studios. Most reports place Sheridan’s sights on NBCUniversal, where he would develop brand-new series for the massive television studio, looking to recapture the success he found with shows like Yellowstone, Mayor of Kingstown, Landman, and Tulsa King. While this move could prove profitable for both Sheridan and NBCUniversal, it could be very bad news for the Yellowstone franchise.
What Taylor Sheridan’s Departure Means for Yellowstone
How Yellowstone Could Continue Without Taylor Sheridan
Over the next several years, Paramount will learn whether Yellowstone‘s success was due to Taylor Sheridan alone or if audiences find other aspects of the television universe appealing enough to continue even in his absence. Sheridan’s departure will put Yellowstone‘s popularity to the test, but it doesn’t have to be the death of the franchise. So long as the upcoming spinoffs keep true to what made the original shows so successful, Yellowstone can survive for many more years. With a good mixture of returning characters and brand-new storylines ahead in the years to come, there is still hope for Yellowstone even after its creator steps away.
Is It the Beginning of the End for Yellowstone?
The real test of the franchise’s future will be in shows like The Madison, which tell brand-new stories adjacent but not directly connected to the original Yellowstone. The Madison represents a new type of Yellowstone spinoff that is not contingent upon the Dutton family drama, even if it is set in the same universe. Other shows in development, including 6666, seem poised to follow suit, branching out into new areas of Taylor Sheridan’s television universe. If these shows are successful, they could establish long overarching storylines that rival that of the Dutton Family Saga, keeping the Yellowstone franchise alive for many more years to come.
Yellowstone is streaming on Peacock.
1883 and 1923 are streaming on Paramount+.