The stars of “Landman,” Billy Bob Thornton and Sam Elliott, are finally speaking out about Taylor Sheridan’s shocking decision to leave Paramount for a massive new deal at NBC Universal — a move that has sent waves through the television industry (Variety).

Thornton, who leads the series as oil-company landman Tommy Norris, addressed the surprising development at the show’s Season 2 premiere on Nov. 11. The Oscar-winning actor made it clear that while Sheridan’s departure marks a major industry shift, he doesn’t expect it to disrupt the shows Sheridan built at Paramount.

Sam Elliott and Billy Bob Thornton attend the Season 2 premiere of “Landman” at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center in NYC on November 11, 2025.FilmMagic

“I think the shows that are at Paramount stay at Paramount,” Thornton told The Hollywood Reporter. “So I don’t think those are affected. His deal is for the future. And who knows what that holds.”
Taylor Sheridan and his wife, Nicole Sheridan, arrive at the premiere for Paramount Network’s “Yellowstone” Season 5 at Hotel Drover in Fort Worth, Texas, on November 13, 2022.

Thornton, 70, praised Sheridan’s creative instincts, calling him “a brilliant guy,” adding:

“Wherever he goes, whatever he does is gonna be successful. At least I know it’ll be real.”

Sam Elliott echoes Thornton: “Landman” will stay put

Elliott, 81, who joins Season 2 as Tommy’s father, reinforced the message that the existing Paramount slate remains untouched by Sheridan’s move.

“It’s not gonna impact the future of this series,” he told the outlet. “Everything that Taylor had at Paramount is gonna stay at Paramount. It’s not like he’s taking it there.”

The veteran actor continued:

“The Universal thing, as I understand, it’s a whole new deal. So it’s great for Taylor’s world. I think it’s fantastic.”
(Deadline)

Sam Elliott and Taylor Sheridan attend the Lone Star Film Festival Gala honoring Elliott with the Bill Paxton Achievement in Film Award in Fort Worth, Texas, on November 7, 2025.


Sam Elliott as T.L. and Billy Bob Thornton as Tommy in “Landman.”

The move that shook Hollywood

Sheridan’s impending exit first broke on Oct. 27 when The Hollywood Reporter revealed that the 55-year-old powerhouse creator had accepted a five-year deal with NBC Universal. Under Sheridan’s current arrangement with Paramount, he established the wildly successful Yellowstone universe, including “1883,” “1923,” and upcoming spin-offs, alongside other hit dramas like “Tulsa King,” “Lioness,” “Mayor of Kingstown,” and “Landman.”

Paramount will retain ownership of all Sheridan-created IP, meaning fan-favorites like “Tulsa King” and future Yellowstone entries — including the long-rumored “6666 Ranch” spinoff — will not be moving anywhere (The Guardian).

Sheridan’s Paramount contract officially ends in 2028, but his new deal — valued at roughly $1 billion — outlines that he will begin producing films for NBCU in 2026 and television series in 2029 (Wall Street Journal).

Reported tensions behind Sheridan’s departure

According to The Wall Street Journal, Sheridan’s decision came amid creative and strategic clashes with David Ellison, the new CEO following Paramount’s merger with Skydance Media. Ellison was reportedly interested in developing a patriotic limited series aligned with America’s 250th anniversary next year.

While “Yellowstone” has often been labelled a conservative-leaning show, Sheridan previously told The New York Times that he remains “apolitical publicly” and prefers to explore all sides of the political spectrum. Sources told WSJ that he declined Ellison’s pitch, feeling the concept risked becoming “too politically charged.”

Another reported flashpoint involved Nicole Kidman, one of the stars of Sheridan’s thriller “Lioness.” Paramount allegedly cast Kidman in another drama, “Discretion,” without consulting Sheridan — a scheduling conflict Sheridan viewed as “a lack of respect” toward his productions.

Billy Bob Thornton as Tommy Norris and Ali Larter as Angela Norris in “Landman” Season 2

Glamour and loyalty at the “Landman” red carpet

At the Nov. 11 red-carpet premiere, Demi Moore, 63, turned heads with a plunging lace ensemble while co-star Ali Larter, 49 — who plays Tommy Norris’ ex-wife Angela — also attended.

Jacob Lofland, Kayla Allace, Sam Elliott, Demi Moore, Billy Bob Thornton, Ali Larter, and Michelle Randolph at the Season 2 premiere of “Landman” at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center in NYC on November 11, 2025.


Sam Elliott, Ali Larter, and Billy Bob Thornton attend the Season 2 premiere of “Landman” at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center in NYC on November 11, 2025

Larter recently defended Sheridan against criticisms that her character is consistently portrayed in revealing clothing. In an interview with People, she described Sheridan as:

“a provocateur… someone who writes characters designed to evoke a reaction or a feeling.”

She added:

“What’s incredible about our show — and many of Taylor’s shows — is that they’re wildly original and authentic to themselves.”

“Landman” marches forward

Season 2 of “Landman” premieres Sunday, Nov. 16, continuing the gritty, high-stakes look at the booming and chaotic world of West Texas oil — a world Sheridan is widely credited with bringing to life with his signature blend of realism and frontier mythmaking (Rolling Stone).