The Future of Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Yellowstone’ Universe Reportedly Sealed Ahead of His Paramount Exit md06

For months, fans of Yellowstone have been bracing for the end of an era, but according to a new Puck report, Taylor Sheridan’s expanding Western universe may not be riding off into the sunset just yet. Despite his bombshell move to NBCUniversal, Sheridan’s current Paramount deal — which runs through the end of 2028 — includes strict productivity clauses that guarantee more Yellowstone-related content for years to come.

While Sheridan’s NBCUniversal TV deal doesn’t officially begin until January 1, 2029, his existing contract with Paramount requires him to actively deliver scripts, oversee ongoing series, and even develop new projects for Paramount+ during this period. The report confirms Sheridan can’t simply “slow-walk” his commitments — he’s obligated to maintain his output at full speed until his final day with the company.

According to Puck, Sheridan is currently writing and producing Lioness Season 3 and finishing the first season of The Madison, a new Yellowstone-adjacent series starring Michelle Pfeiffer. Beyond that, he’s also serving as executive producer on the upcoming Dutton Ranch sequel starring Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly, Y: Marshals, a CBS procedural spin-off led by Luke Grimes, and another season of Tulsa King with Sylvester Stallone — plus its own spin-off, NOLA King, with Samuel L. Jackson.

What Else Is Taylor Sheridan Making?

And that’s only what’s been confirmed. Sheridan is also under contract to deliver two or three original pilots before his deal ends — one of which will reportedly be 1944, the next Yellowstone prequel series. In short, Sheridan’s divorce from Paramount may have been finalized, but his creative fingerprints will remain all over the company’s biggest franchises for years. Puck notes that he has no plans to slow down, even as he prepares to transition to NBCUniversal, where his lucrative five-year deal — reportedly worth up to $1 billion — will begin

That productivity requirement could be the saving grace for Paramount+. While Sheridan’s shows are notoriously expensive (with 1923 reportedly costing $22 million per episode), they remain the streamer’s biggest audience drivers. Data from research firm Antenna shows that Sheridan’s series dominate both acquisition and engagement metrics, with Landman, Lioness, and Tulsa King responsible for millions of new sign-ups. Not only that, but Sheridan is also continuing his collaborations with Paramount on the feature-film side, with him set to write the long-gestating Call of Duty adaptation, directed by Peter Berg.

For Paramount executives, this means that even as Sheridan prepares to move on, the Yellowstone empire he built will continue to fuel the platform’s success. It’s a big relief, because Sheridan’s shows are a huge driver of subscribers to the streaming platform. For at least the next few years, Sheridan will be serving Paramount.