‘Yellowstone’ Creator Who Quit Paramount Snubbed U.S. Celebration Pitch, Citing Politics: Report

Taylor Sheridan, the Academy Award–nominated creator behind “Yellowstone,” will depart Paramount for NBCUniversal when his contract ends in 2028, according to a recent announcement.

This is a big deal because Sheridan is responsible for several other Paramount hits, including “1923,” “Tulsa King,” “Special Ops: Lioness,” and more popular projects. Sheridan didn’t give a statement explaining why he’s leaving, but anonymous sources say it was partly due to creative differences with Paramount’s new leadership.

This includes the director’s reluctance to work on a special project celebrating America’s 250th anniversary next year, which was reportedly requested by the company’s new CEO, David Ellison, whom President Donald Trump has called a good friend. Per The Wall Street Journal, Sheridan didn’t want to make anything “overtly political.” 

It’s worth noting that while “Yellowstone” was very popular with a conservative audience, especially in the early seasons, the show’s creator explicitly stated that he didn’t want it to be.

Join us now during our exclusive Deal of the Decade. Get everything for $7 a month. Not as fans. As fighters. Go to DailyWire.com/Subscribe to join now.

“They refer to it as ‘the conservative show’ or ‘the Republican show’ or ‘the red-state Game of Thrones,’ ” Sheridan told The Atlantic in 2022.

“And I just sit back laughing. I’m like, ‘Really?’ The show’s talking about the displacement of Native Americans and the way Native American women were treated and about corporate greed and the gentrification of the West, and land-grabbing. That’s a red-state show?”

He said the same in 2019, calling the idea of “Yellowstone” advancing conservative ideas “the most ridiculous thing.”

Budgets are clearly a major concern months after the close of the $8.4 billion merger of Paramount and Skydance. Per a memo from Ellison, 1,000 employees are being laid off this week, and 1,000 more will be let go soon. The CEO told staff, “These steps are necessary to position Paramount for long-term success.”

Larry Ellison, the billionaire co-founder of Oracle, backed his son David Ellison’s company, Skydance Media, in its takeover of Paramount Global. While David serves as CEO, Larry remains the primary financial force behind the deal, operating largely behind the scenes. Ellison, who has a close relationship with President Trump, is also working with him on a deal involving TikTok’s U.S. operations.