Why Taylor Sheridan Turned Down the Meeting That Led to ‘Yellowstone’

Taylor Sheridan's Yellowstone has become one of the biggest hits in recent television history, and that success has helped him launch a television empire. But the high-powered writer, director and producer absolutely refused to attend the meeting that led to the series getting picked up, and he had to be talked into it through some extreme means.

Sheridan was an actor for many years prior to his success as a screenwriter, landing small roles on everything from NYPD Blue, CSI and more.

He finally scored a more solid role on Sons of Anarchy, but he decided to quit acting entirely after a harsh reality check from a network executive who refused to give him a raise after two seasons on the show. Sheridan turned his attention to writing, and he scored several successful movies in a row with Sicario and Hell or High Water, using the money he made to buy a ranch in Utah and escape Hollywood.

Sheridan had been shopping the idea for Yellowstone around for years and running into various roadblocks when the newly formed Paramount Network expressed interest in the show, but by that time, Sheridan had been burned so many times and was so fed up with Los Angeles that he outright refused to come to town to have a meeting with the executives.

A Weinstein Company executive named David Glasser finally got Sheridan to agree to the meeting, but only if Glasser would send a private jet for Sheridan and promise him he could return home the same day and avoid spending the night in Los Angeles.

Sheridan did not sugarcoat his disdain for the business during the pitch meeting, either.

According to the Australian Financial Review, Sheridan warned the executives that he would not allow them to have any say at all in the show he created. There would be no outlines, no storyboards, and he would accept no notes from executives. He would write and direct all of the episodes himself, he told them, and their only role would be to pay the bills and market the finished product.

It was an unusual set of demands even by television standards, but the executives decided to go for it, interested in the strength of the premise and the fact that Kevin Costner was attached to the lead role of John Dutton.

Yellowstone premiered to solid, but unspectacular ratings in 2018, but by Season 4, the show had become the most-watched drama on cable television. That empowered Sheridan to launch an empire that includes Yellowstone prequels 1883 and 1923, as well as a long list of other shows.

Sheridan has also added Mayor of Kingstown, Tulsa King, Lioness, Lawmen: Bass Reeves and Landman to his resume, and he's reportedly producing more than a billion dollars' worth of television every year for Paramount as part of a multi-year that's worth $200 million to him personally.

Yellowstone is set to come to an end on Sunday night (Dec. 15), when the final episode of Season 5 will air. Sheridan has already begun work on a Yellowstone sequel titled The Madison, and a new season of 1923 is also on the way, along with another prequel titled 1944, though no details are available for that project.

Deadline reports that Yellowstone stars Cole Hauser (Rip Wheeler) and Kelly Reilly (Beth Dutton) have signed on to continue the story of the Duttons in another sequel that will also feature more of the original cast. Paramount Network has not confirmed that reporting.

Sterling Whitaker is a Senior Writer and Senior Editor for Taste of Country. He focuses on celebrity real estate, as well as coverage of Yellowstone and related shows like 1883 and 1923. He's interviewed cast members including Cole Hauser, Kelly Reilly, Sam Elliott and Harrison Ford, and Whitaker is also known for his in-depth interviews with country legends including Don Henley, Rodney Crowell, Trace Adkins, Ronnie Milsap, Ricky Skaggs and more.