What’s pertinent is that Taylor Sheridan’s TV properties are some of the highest-ticket ones in town, and they just changed hands at a turbulent time, with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) up for sale.

Here’s how Sheridan’s departure will affect corporate negotiations and your favorite shows.

 

 

The wrestling match over his future was primarily between Comcast’s (CMCSA) NBCUniversal chairwoman Donna Langley and Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav. Both head honchos flew down to Sheridan’s famous Texas ranch, but Langley came out on top. The consequences may shift the balance of power in today’s volatile Hollywood.

 

 

To that end, the fact that Zaslav’s WBD was fielding acquisition offers from Sheridan’s current employer played a part in the negotiation.

“Incidentally, Paramount is trying to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, a parallel drama that was not lost on Sheridan,” TheWrap reports.

Ultimately, it was a combination of Warner Bros.’ delicate situation, excellent personal negotiations by Langley, and upheaval at Paramount that led to NBC landing its “big fish.”

 

 

Personally, I can’t think of a worse time to lose out on this big of an asset. NBC and Langley clearly aren’t afraid to be aggressive while others snooze.

There simply isn’t another hitmaker like Taylor Sheridan in Hollywood right now. With multiple ongoing hits and spinoffs, as well as an Oscar-winning film studio, Sheridan stands alone.

Maybe that’s why he’s set to become Hollywood’s first $1 billion dollar hitmaker.The shape of the “Sheridan Deal”:
Sheridan’s new NBCUniversal overall encompasses both film and television, with the film portion starting in 2026 and the TV portion following in 2029.
Source: Collider​
All current Sheridan TV properties (“Yellowstone,” “Landman,” “Mayor of Kingstown,” “Tulsa King,” “Special Ops: Lionness,” and “Yellowstone” spinoffs “1923” and “1883”) will remain with Paramount until the end of his contract.
Source: USA Today​
Longtime collaborator David Glasser and his 101 Studios film and television outfit will also move to NBCUniversal when their Paramount obligations end​.
Source: IMDB
Reports cite corporate upheaval at Paramount in the wake of the Skydance acquisition as a factor influencing Sheridan’s decision.
Source: The Independent

That last bit of reporting on corporate upheaval is critical, as the decision-makers at Paramount have now largely turned over from those with whom Sheridan initially worked (plus Ellison wanted Sheridan to cut down his budgets — not a great look).

Crucially, the NBC deal only applies to Sheridan productions going forward, after 2026 (film projects) and 2027 (TV). Paramount will retain the ability to stream Sherdian’s archive of already completed work.

“After Sheridan’s move to NBCUniversal, Paramount will continue to own the library of his existing shows, as well as any subsequent seasons or spin-offs from those series,” per reporting by the LA Times.