Taylor Sheridan Faces Lawsuit Over Allegedly Stealing “Yellowstone” Concept
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Woman Sues Taylor Sheridan Over Yellowstone Idea
Taylor Sheridan, Paramount and NBCUniversal are facing a lawsuit from a woman who claims she came up with the core concept behind Yellowstone.
According to TMZ, entertainment journalist and TV writer Lauren J. Salkin filed a federal lawsuit in California on Friday (August 21). Salkin alleges that she submitted a pilot script and other materials for a series called Sovereign Nation to Sheridan’s production company in 2016 and 2017.
What Are The Lawsuit Details?
Salkin says the materials were reviewed, citing a response she received from Elevate Entertainment that thanked her for her interest and said Sheridan was unavailable for TV projects.
She claims that only months after submitting her project, Paramount greenlit Sheridan’s Yellowstone, which premiered in June 2018. According to Salkin, the similarities between the two shows are far too extensive to be merely coincidental.
“What then appeared in ‘Yellowstone’ was not merely another Western about land or family,” the lawsuit read. “It included specific expressive choices already embodied in Salkin’s materials.”
Salkin also states her original pitch deck listed Danny Huston and Gil Birmingham as actors who could fit the project (both of whom later appeared in Yellowstone). She further claims that a senior HBO scripted-television executive met with her about Sovereign Nation after reportedly rejecting Sheridan’s Yellowstone pitch in spring 2017 because of similarities to her work.
“Copyright law does not protect the abstract idea of a Western, a land dispute, an Indian casino, or a powerful family — and that is not Plaintiff’s claim,” the lawsuit continued. “The infringement alleged here lies in the copying of Salkin’s particular expressive choices and their coordinated selection and arrangement.”
Yellowstone Becomes Massive Success For Paramount
Created by Sheridan and John Linson, Yellowstone premiered on Paramount Network on June 20, 2018.
The series starred Kevin Costner, Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly, Wes Bentley and Cole Hauser as members of the powerful Dutton family, a dynasty of Montana cattle ranchers willing to do whatever it takes to protect their land and preserve their legacy.
Yellowstone became a massive success for Paramount, running for five seasons and launching an expanding franchise that includes spinoffs 1883 and 1923, as well as Marshals and the recently announced Dutton Ranch.
