What Taylor Sheridan’s departure from Paramount would mean for Yellowstone spinoffs

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Taylor Sheridan is a key figure for Paramount, but recent reports suggest he might be leaving to work with Universal. This raises uncertainty about the future of his popular ‘Yellowstone’ series and any planned extensions of that world.

Since the premiere of Yellowstone in 2018, Taylor Sheridan has become a hugely successful creator for the studio. He’s continued to build a television empire with shows like 1883, 1923, Mayor of Kingstown, Tulsa King, Special Ops: Lioness, and Landman, all of which have proven to be popular and profitable.

Although the original series Yellowstone finished in December, the story will go on through several new shows. These include The Madison, a sequel featuring Michelle Pfeiffer but not the Dutton family; a series focusing on Beth and Rip Wheeler called The Dutton Ranch; a show following Kayce Dutton titled Y: Marshals; and a new prequel set in 1944.

Beyond his current work, Taylor Sheridan has several other TV projects in development. If he joins Universal, it raises questions about the future of his entire television universe.

What Taylor Sheridan move would mean for Yellowstone spinoffs

For now, the Yellowstone franchise will stay with Paramount. Taylor Sheridan’s contract with them lasts until 2028, meaning any shows he creates during that period will remain owned by Paramount, even though he’s moving to Universal.

This suggests that the new shows based on Yellowstone, as well as his other projects in development, will continue as expected. However, once the deal is finalized, he’s expected to focus on writing and producing content only for Universal, including their Peacock streaming service.

According to sources who spoke with Matthew Belloni of Puck, David Glasser’s 101 Studios—the company producing Taylor Sheridan’s shows—will also be moving to Universal.

According to Belloni, Sheridan is planning to leave Paramount once he finishes his current film and television projects. He recently signed a significant agreement with NBCUniversal.

A film deal lasting almost eight years starts in March. However, the more significant agreement is a five-year television deal that could really shake up the streaming industry due to its benefits and innovative nature.

Following Skydance’s acquisition of Paramount, Sheridan is reportedly leaving the company after a period of internal friction. According to sources at Puck, many of his close colleagues were let go or reassigned, and the new management team raised concerns about the increasing budgets of his series.

Paramount will still own the Yellowstone universe, so they can keep making shows and movies in that world even if Taylor Sheridan isn’t involved.

As a big fan, I was really happy to hear Belloni explain that everything Taylor Sheridan creates for Paramount through 2028 will remain with the network for years to come. Right now, we’re getting to enjoy shows like Tulsa King, Mayor of Kingstown, and this new reality competition, The Road, which are all fantastic!

Luke Grimes, known for his role as Kayce Dutton in ‘Yellowstone,’ will return to play the same character in a new CBS series, a spinoff of the original show.

— ScreenTime (@screentime) May 8, 2025

Next year, Paramount plans to release additional seasons of popular shows like Landman, as well as the Yellowstone spin-offs Dutton Ranch and Y: Marshals. They’ll also be airing more episodes of Lioness and debuting a brand new series called NOLA King.

Even though Taylor Sheridan is no longer involved, David Ellison at Paramount Skydance can keep creating shows based on Yellowstone for as long as he wants – basically, until the story gets completely outlandish or someone unexpected like Bari Weiss starts running the writing team.

Things will likely stay the same for now, but the bigger question is what will happen after 2028.

Can Sheridan’s TV universe still survive at Paramount?

If Taylor Sheridan were to move on from the Yellowstone universe, Paramount could still create more shows in that world, using different writers – much like what happened with successful series like The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones after their original creators stepped away.

However, if things change, the overall style and production value could be affected. Despite often being controversial and costly, Taylor Sheridan’s shows consistently perform well on streaming platforms when released, and his unique creative vision is hard to imitate.

It remains to be seen if audiences will continue to support these works after the original creator steps away, particularly if they begin producing new content under a different name or company.

This news highlights a growing trend in the entertainment industry: studios are increasingly focused on securing established and popular franchises. Universal’s interest in acquiring Sheridan is similar to NBC’s successful, long-term relationships with creators like Dick Wolf (known for “Law & Order”) and Lorne Michaels (of “Saturday Night Live”).

Honestly, as a big fan, I’m a little shocked by all this. It seems like Paramount didn’t realize how important J.J. Abrams and his shows are to their streaming service. Someone pointed out that his shows are pretty much the only originals on Paramount+ that actually get measured in the Nielsen ratings, so letting this happen feels like a big mistake!

Someone else pointed out that losing the rights to stream ‘Yellowstone’ on Peacock just as the show became incredibly popular was a big mistake.

Currently, the Dutton family’s story still airs on Paramount. However, if Taylor Sheridan moves to Universal, the core of the Yellowstone universe could follow him.

While we’re getting updates, you can explore our recommendations for Taylor Sheridan fans, learn about the upcoming 6666 series, and see a guide to the Dutton family history.

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2025-10-27 14:20