The world of modern Westerns and high-stakes drama is about to collide with the ruthless pace of covert warfare. Taylor Sheridan, the creative mastermind behind Yellowstone, 1883, and Mayor of Kingstown, is stepping back into the cinematic spotlight with F.A.S.T., a full-throttle action thriller that marks his long-awaited return to feature filmmaking. Joining him is 1923 star Brandon Sklenar, whose emotionally charged performance as Spencer Dutton earned him critical acclaim and positioned him as one of Hollywood’s most magnetic new leading men.

The Sheridan Formula: Morality Under Fire

At its core, F.A.S.T. carries the signature DNA of a Taylor Sheridan project — the collision of loyalty, violence, and the blurred moral lines between heroism and corruption. The story follows a former U.S. Special Forces officer, played by Sklenar, who has walked away from a life defined by warfare and betrayal. When the Drug Enforcement Administration recruits him to lead a covert strike unit against a major cartel, he’s dragged back into the underworld he thought he had escaped.

But, in a trademark Sheridan twist, the enemy isn’t just across the border — it’s within his own ranks. The operation is revealed to be secretly funded and manipulated by the CIA, setting off a psychological and political battle that forces Sklenar’s character to question everything he once believed about service, sacrifice, and the price of freedom.

According to insiders, the film delves deeply into the fractured psyche of a man conditioned for violence but desperate for redemption. Sklenar’s soldier is described as “a ghost of the American wars — loyal, broken, and dangerous to the wrong people.”

A Cast That Promises Firepower

Joining Sklenar is Succession standout Juliana Canfield in an undisclosed role that industry observers say will bring both emotional grounding and intrigue to the plot. Early whispers hint that her character could be a journalist or intelligence analyst who becomes both an ally and moral compass for the disillusioned operative — echoing the type of complex, tension-filled relationships that made Sheridan’s earlier works so riveting.

While the rest of the cast remains under wraps, Sheridan’s track record suggests a blend of Hollywood veterans and gritty newcomers, a balance that could mirror the ensemble excellence of Sicario and Wind River.

Behind the Camera: Ben Richardson’s Bold Step Forward

Perhaps just as compelling as the story itself is the creative team behind it. F.A.S.T. marks the feature directorial debut of Ben Richardson, Sheridan’s longtime collaborator and visual architect across Yellowstone, 1883, and Mayor of Kingstown. Richardson’s transition from cinematographer to director is being hailed as a natural evolution — the next chapter in a creative partnership built on mutual trust and a shared cinematic language defined by texture, silence, and raw emotion.

Richardson’s visual style — rich, tactile, and distinctly American — is expected to lend F.A.S.T. an intensity that transcends the action genre. “Ben knows how Taylor tells a story without dialogue,” one production source shared. “He understands that Sheridan’s worlds are defined as much by what’s left unsaid as by the bullets that fly.”

A Script Fifteen Years in the Making

The F.A.S.T. screenplay has a history almost as dramatic as its story. Sheridan first wrote the script in the mid-2000s, long before his breakout success as Hollywood’s neo-Western auteur. Warner Brothers initially acquired the project in 2018, with Chris Pratt rumored to lead and Sheridan himself attached to direct. However, budget issues and pandemic-era disruptions put the film on indefinite hold.

Now, nearly two decades later, Sheridan’s industry dominance has breathed new life into his long-shelved vision. With Yellowstone evolving into a global phenomenon and his television empire expanding across multiple networks, the timing couldn’t be better for his cinematic resurgence. Sheridan’s Bosque Ranch Productions is co-producing the film with Heyday Films, while Warner Brothers handles global distribution.

The Promise of a New Sheridan Universe

Beyond the explosions and espionage, F.A.S.T. is shaping up to be another exploration of Sheridan’s favorite theme: the cost of power. From the windswept ranches of Montana to the war-torn deserts of Afghanistan, his characters have always been soldiers in invisible wars — caught between duty and damnation.

This time, that conflict unfolds in a high-tech, post-war America where political manipulation has become the new battlefield. Industry insiders say the film could mark the birth of a new cinematic universe parallel to the “Sheridan-verse,” bridging the mythic storytelling of his Westerns with the relentless tempo of a modern military thriller.

Sheridan’s own production company teased the film’s tagline in early marketing materials:

“When the mission ends, the war begins.”

It’s a fitting statement for a filmmaker whose work so often reveals that peace, for his characters, is just another kind of fight.

Looking Ahead

With a projected budget of $60–70 million and an official release date locked for April 23, 2027, F.A.S.T. is already being positioned as one of the most anticipated action dramas of the decade. The film promises to merge heart-stopping sequences with Sheridan’s trademark emotional grit, giving audiences both spectacle and soul.

For Brandon Sklenar, it’s the kind of role that could define his next chapter — transforming him from breakout television star to bona fide movie icon. And for Taylor Sheridan, F.A.S.T. represents not just a film, but a full-circle return to the cinematic battlefield that first made him Hollywood’s most unpredictable storyteller.

When F.A.S.T. finally hits theaters, one question will burn brightest:
Can you ever truly leave the war behind — or does it always find its way home?