If Taylor Sheridan & Paramount+’s Deal Ends, I Can See One Genuine Upside

A conflict has reportedly arisen between Paramount+ and one of its top creators, Taylor Sheridan, and while this butting of heads could be disastrous for the long-running business partnership, there is one silver lining. In 2018, Sheridan rose to fame when he created the popular neo-Western TV series, Yellowstone. In the intervening years, Sheridan expanded on this universe, releasing prequels, spinoffs, and totally new Western action series. Throughout this era, Sheridan has had a firm partnership with Paramount and its streaming platform. Yet, recent news hints that this collaboration could be facing some serious obstacles.

Sheridan and Paramount have a somewhat unique relationship. At first glance, their biggest connection is that Paramount+ streams all of Sheridan’s TV titles, from 1883 to Lioness. Beyond that, however, Sheridan is also quite important to Paramount because his shows bring in countless subscribers. Arguably, Paramount+ has struggled to make a name for itself in the world of streaming, but Sheridan’s shows have kept the platform relevant and worth getting. All in all, Paramount needs Sheridan as much as the showrunner needs its platform, but now, priorities may be changing.

What’s Happening With Taylor Sheridan & Paramount+? Reports Explained

What Paramount’s Budget Cuts Might Mean For Sheridan

In a report recently published by Puck, it was revealed that Paramount’s new owner, David Ellison, and its head of streaming, Cindy Holland, are looking to cut the budgets for Paramount+ TV shows. Apparently, the pair are hoping to spend $9 million per episode. For reference, Sheridan’s series usually cost between $12-16 million an episode. Because of this, Sheridan is reportedly unhappy with Ellison and Holland’s plans. With Sheridan’s deal up for renegotiation in 2027, many are wondering if these budget cuts could be a dealbreaker.

The worst-case scenario that could come out of Paramount’s plans is that Sheridan leaves the company for another streaming platform willing to spend more money on him. At this time, there are no reports of open animosity between Sheridan and Paramount, but Sheridan’s dislike of the new budget cuts show that the disagreement could fester into something far worse. If Sheridan left Paramount, it would be a major blow to the streaming service. Paramount+ would lose its most lucrative titles, leaving it desperate to fill the eight-series hole that Sheridan would leave.

If Taylor Sheridan Were To Leave Paramount+, He Could Make More Movies

Sheridan’s Shows Are Great, But His Movies Deserve More Hype

Sheridan’s potential departure from Paramount would be difficult, but one positive that could come out of it is that Sheridan might pursue movies again. If Sheridan pulls out of his deal with Paramount, then he would not be beholden to making more TV series for the platform. In this way, he would be free to pursue other projects that he couldn’t before, including films. Currently, Sheridan hasn’t written or directed a movie since 2021. After gaining even more success since then, it would be great to see what Sheridan would cook up in the present day.

The prospect of Sheridan making more movies is exciting because his films are deeply underrated. More often than not, audiences recognize Sheridan for Yellowstone and Landman, but in the years before he established his television empire, he was behind some truly excellent movies. In 2015 and 2016, he wrote the screenplays for hits like Sicario and Hell or High Water. Plus, in 2017, he impressed critics with his neo-Western crime drama, Wind River. Ever since Yellowstone, Sheridan has had to take a step away from movies, but in different circumstances, he has the potential to make some really great films.

Ideally, We’d Have Taylor Sheridan Movies And TV Shows

What Sheridan Is Working On Next

Of course, the best case scenario is that audiences get both Sheridan shows and movies. It would be a shame for Sheridan’s TV series to be forgotten, especially as shows like Lioness and Landman pick up steam. Yet, at the same time, Sheridan has been neglecting his talents as a screenwriter and movie director. In a perfect world, forgetting his issues with Paramount, Sheridan would be able to split his time between his television empire and new movies.

Fortunately, Sheridan does have some new tricks up his sleeve. Now that 1923 season 2 is airing, Sheridan’s next release will likely be The Madison, a Yellowstone universe spinoff. Beyond that, he has also discussed a Beth and Rip spinoff series, Mayor of Kingstown season 4, and the long-awaited 6666 Ranch spinoff. However, his most exciting project may be his adaptation of Empire of the Summer Moon, a nonfiction book about conflicts between the Comanche and white settlers in the American West. Overall, Taylor Sheridan is not slowing down, regardless of what his future holds.