Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone Universe May Be in Trouble Thanks to Major Paramount Update

Paramount’s Yellowstone hits a major bump in the road over episode budgets.

Per Puck, incoming Paramount Streaming Chief Cindy Holland has reportedly stated in meetings with creators and agents alike that her target budget for new episodes is $9 million. This has struck a chord with Yellowstone co-creator and writer Taylor Sheridan, whose episodes usually cost between $12 million and $16 million each, largely due to extensive location shoots and the overwhelming star power associated with Sheridan’s various series.

This report comes alongside news that Paramount is pushing to further license its Paramount+ offerings, with other platforms including Netflix, Prime Video, and HBO’s Max all interested in perusing the former’s licensing options. The move comes as one of several major shifts for the company, which has also begun putting pressure on potential partners via its recent deal reached with David Ellison’s Skydance. Per the report, Netflix has already attempted to renegotiate their end of the Skydance Animation deal so that it will be tied to a new Paramount licensing agreement, a proposal which Paramount rejected outright.

Yellowstone Ended Its Run, but the Franchise Continues

Yellowstone premiered in 2018 and quickly established itself as the latest powerhouse in the realm of pop culture. The series starred Kevin Costner as John Dutton III, Kelly Reilly as Beth Dutton, Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton, Wes Bentley as James Dutton, and Cole Hauser as Rip Wheeler. Yellowstone follows the Dutton family as they operate and maintain one of Montana’s largest ranches. The series also heavily focuses on the interpersonal and political drama and turmoil that emerges between Yellowstone‘s core cast of characters. The series’ fifth and final season finale aired on Dec. 15, 2024, although fans of Yellowstone still have plenty to look forward to in the forms of various spinoffs and prequel series.

Following the release of Yellowstone‘s final episode, Hauser gave fans a hopeful update on the future of the franchise. “We will see what happens over the next year or so and we’ll see what’s next. Hopefully, we can continue to get in people’s living rooms and entertain them the way we have over the last seven years,” Hauser said at the time. “For me, to be able to do that, to educate people, enlighten and entertain them is always the dream.” Both Hauser and Reilly are currently slated to return to their respective roles sometime this year with the release of a spinoff centered around Rip and Beth entitled The Madison.

Yellowstone is currently available for streaming on Paramount+.