In a twist worthy of one of his own famously dramatic shows, Taylor Sheridan has shocked fans with the news that he will be leaving

behind Paramount for rival production studio NBCUniversal. As part of a massive new film and television deal, the creator, perhaps best

known for the ever-expanding Yellowstone universe, will begin developing film content for NBCUniversal (the parent company of NBC and Peacock) next year, and television properties as well following the end of his contract with Paramount in 2028, according to a report by Puck.

 

 

Though the exact sum for Sheridan’s new contract has yet to be disclosed—the number is sure to be high—Puck reported that “money wasn’t the big factor here,” noting that NBCUniversal has become a home for movie creatives like Steven Spielberg, Chris Nolan, Jordan Peele, and Chris Meledandri as well as TV stalwarts Dick Wolf and Lorne Michaels. The environment has been said to appeal to Sheridan.

 

 

So what does all of this mean for fans of Sheridan’s sprawling universe of series, including Paramount+ hits like Landman, Lioness, Mayor of Kingstown, and Tulsa King—not to mention to the multiple Dutton spinoffs currently in the works?

 

 

First and foremost, Paramount owns the rights to all of Sheridan’s current slate of shows, along with the Dutton prequel 1883 and the upcoming Tulsa King spinoff NOLA King. None of those series will be leaving the studio when Sheridan’s TV contact comes to a close, and the IP will remain with them if they choose to continue on with more series after Sheridan’s time comes to an end.

 

 

Perhaps the most pertinent of the properties will be those linked to the Yellowstone universe, including the upcoming Rip-and-Beth centered sequel under the working title Dutton Ranch and the Luke Grimes-starring CBS procedural Y:Marshals, set to debut next year.

While Sheridan has reportedly been more hands-off with several of his projects in recent years (Mayor of Kingstown and Tulsa King are now written by other writers, while SEAL Team’s Spencer Hednut is heading up Y:Marshals) his writing has always been at the core of the Yellowstone universe’s success, and he was widely expected to remain closely involved in Dutton Ranch. With that series expected to air some time in 2026, it’s possible that we could see a couple of seasons under Sheridan’s helm before the creator moves on to greener pastures, but as with all things in Taylor Sheridan’s world, fans will simply have to wait and see.