Critics can say all they want about the big budgets Taylor Sheridan shows usually carry… he’s not going to change a thing.
The creator of shows like Yellowstone and Landman has a record that speaks for itself. Sheridan continues to be the mind and influence behind hit shows that bring in millions of viewers per episode. For today’s standards, that’s almost uncalled for, but Sheridan has evidently cracked the code. Whether it be a Yellowstone spinoff, or a different, already established world within shows like Mayor of Kingstown and The Madison, when Sheridan’s name is attached, people tune in.
That’s a testament to his world building, and the quality that fans have come to expect from Sheridan’s shows (and movies, for that matter). Anything that the writer and director touches seemingly turns to gold… but they also cost quite a bit of money. Yellowstone‘s per-episode budget started at $7 million, and grew to $12 million-plus as the seasons rolled on. Even with those high production costs, it’s believed the western drama brought in somewhere around $700 million in profit.
When Sheridan spoke with Yahoo Finance Invest recently, the creator that will soon move from Paramount to NBCUniversal said that his shows cost what they cost, and he doesn’t plan on cutting his budgets:
“I mean, they cost what they cost. And it’s a constant battle, right? And they could argue — I’m sure that they would — that if we could have made ‘Landman’ for $50 million less, they could have made $50 million more. But I disagree because now the product isn’t as valuable. And so you have less viewers. So it costs less, but you made less.
I’m a premium product maker. I only know how to do it one way. I learned how to direct and produce making movies. So I only know how to do that. I don’t know how to make a TV show, and I’m not trying to learn. I want ’em to look like movies.”
That’s truly what sets Sheridan’s projects apart from competitors, and what keeps fans coming back… no matter what story Taylor is telling.
Sure, his TV shows might cost a lot to make. But they also bring in money like no other. Still, the higher ups don’t love the production budgets when they look at their bottom lines. In that same interview, Sheridan was asked how he handles phone calls from big wigs wishing to discuss how much money he’s spending on his shows.
He’s got a foolproof method for handling those kind of inquiries:
“I just don’t call them back.”
Sounds like Taylor Sheridan, eh? And because I mentioned his move from Paramount to NBCUniversal earlier, it might helpful to know that the creator, writer and director is expected to finish out his TV contract with Paramount (through the end of 2028) and then take his talents to NBC at the beginning of 2029.
He’s actually already started making movies for NBCUniversal after his film contract with Paramount expired earlier this year, and that the movie side of the deal will run for eight years. On the other hand, the overall deal that Sheridan has struck up with NBCUniversal to make TV shows will start on January 1, 2029, and will reportedly stretch five years… paying Taylor Sheridan somewhere around $1 billion to make 20-plus shows.
Hopefully NBCUniversal is prepared for Taylor Sheridan to continue his big spending. That $1 billion deal makes me think they are.
