If you had a guy in your company who could reliably produce the most popular TV shows, you’d probably do everything you could to keep him. Unfortunately, Paramount let “Yellowstone” creator and all-around creative powerhouse Taylor Sheridan slip through its fingers following the Skydance/Paramount merger, a move that saw Skydance boss David Ellison take over as Paramount’s chairman and CEO. At the time, the new guard promised to “strengthen and reinvigorate the flagship brands of Paramount and CBS,” but as Deadline reported, Sheridan “felt rejected” by the new leadership, prompting him to look for another company to support his prolific artistic output.
Sheridan is arguably Paramount’s most important creator in some time, creating not only the behemoth that was “Yellowstone” but also a whole host of other shows that have proven to be consistently popular. Now that Ellison and Skydance are taking the lead, the man seems to have become discouraged. According to Deadline, numerous issues led to the departure of the “Yellowstone” creator, including detailed notes on movie scripts from new executives and the possibility of his shows being canceled.
Now, Sheridan is heading to NBCUniversal and its streaming platform Peacock, which previously hosted “Yellowstone” and appears to be the perfect place for the multi-hyphenate to continue expanding his already sizable television empire. So what led Paramount to lose one of the most creative figures on its roster (if not the most creative figure)?
Taylor Sheridan didn’t like receiving grades or having his streak threatened
In addition to producing major television hits for Paramount, Taylor Sheridan seemed perfectly poised to direct future projects, including the “Call of Duty” movie. He is also preparing a series of “Yellowstone” spin-offs which will undoubtedly prove to be as successful as the previous ones. As such, it seemed like he was firmly entrenched at Paramount for the foreseeable future. But as Deadline revealed, several issues led him to look elsewhere.
The first sign of trouble came after Sheridan submitted his script for the upcoming feature film “Capture the Flag.” The artist was then reportedly surprised and offended to receive the script filled with notes from Skydance’s chief creative officer and new Paramount Pictures co-president Dana Goldberg. Then it seems her Nicole-Kidman-led show “Lioness” has become in peril. The new regime is reportedly considering canceling the series, which had previously pushed Sheridan out of his comfort zone but now appears to have pushed him out of Paramount entirely — at least its potential cancellation did. According to Deadline, the series’ budget was an issue, putting it in the crosshairs. Meanwhile, Paramount+ made a deal for an entirely separate show starring Kidman without telling Sheridan, which obviously only added to his distaste for his new bosses.
That in itself would probably be enough to make the TV impresario start looking elsewhere, but there was apparently more to the story. Being the typewriter that he is, Sheridan was previously preparing to launch “The Correspondent,” a new series about a war correspondent in Afghanistan. The show was originally slated for a 2026 release before suddenly being removed from the schedule, adding to Sheridan’s dissatisfaction and pushing him back even further.
Taylor Sheridan was tempted by more money and creative freedom
It’s no secret that Taylor Sheridan has been involved in behind-the-scenes clashes, most notably with former “Yellowstone” star Kevin Costner (who clashed with Sheridan and Paramount before the show’s fifth season and was summarily written off the show). Although this particularly controversial departure was much more than an argument between Costner and Sheridan, the two headstrong personalities clearly had issues. As Deadline notes, that same stubbornness may well have contributed to Sheridan’s departure from Paramount, with the outlet describing him as a “my way or the highway guy in a cowboy hat.”
Despite his lack of flexibility, Sheridan reportedly established a productive working relationship with Paramount’s previous lawsuits, which largely let him do his job. The new regime, however, seems to want to get much more involved. Deadline speculated that Dana Goldberg, alongside new president of direct-to-consumer for Paramount and former vice president of original content at Netflix, Cindy Holland, may have considered making too many changes to the streaming service, which could have contributed to Sheridan’s departure.
The writer was also clearly tempted by a heck of an offer from NBCUniversal Entertainment. Donna Langley, president of NBCUniversal Entertainment, reportedly visited Sheridan several times, ingratiating herself enough with the man to render a final meeting between him and the Paramount suits ineffective. Sheridan has now signed a long-term film and television deal with his new company, which will begin in 2029 and could be worth up to $1 billion. Even without his difficulties with Paramount’s new management, Sheridan should have seriously considered leaving with such an offer.
