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Why Paramount+ Subscribers Shouldn’t Be Worried About Taylor Sheridan’s Exit (for Now)
The entertainment world got a bit of a shakeup recently when it was reported that Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan is leaving Paramount when his film and television deals expire and will make the move to NBCUniversal. While the shocking news is good news for Peacock subscribers, it is much less welcome for Paramount+ customers as Sheridan is Paramount’s biggest creative force, responsible for not just the juggernaut that is Yellowstone, but other series such as Mayor of Kingstown, Tulsa King, Landman, and many, many more. With Sheridan moving on, the fate of Paramount+’s entertainment landscape feels more up in the air than ever before.
Yet, even with the massive change that Sheridan’s departure brings with it, Paramount+ subscribers shouldn’t be worried about things just yet. Long term things may look very different for Paramount+, but there’s still a lot that can happen for the streamer before the successful and prolific creator goes to hang his hat somewhere else.
Sheridan Isn’t Going Anywhere Just Yet
The first, and perhaps the most important, thing to keep in mind is that Sheridan isn’t leaving Paramount just yet. Sheridan’s current deal with Paramount lasts until 2028. What that means is that there is still plenty of time for Sheridan’s current series to continue to flourish and grow under his guidance and creative vision. That is especially good news for his newer series, such as Landman, and his upcoming work, such as Y: Marshals. There’s also still time for Sheridan to create new series and projects for Paramount+, including other Yellowstone-adjacent projects.
With Sheridan, whose work accounts for a large percentage of Paramount+ shows, remaining a part of things and active for at least a few more years, subscribers shouldn’t be too worried that there will be a big shift in programming for the short term or even the mid-term. It also means that newer subscribers who haven’t yet fully taken in all of Sheridan’s offerings for the platform don’t have to worry too much about getting into a series that is about to be shelved because its creator is departing.
Sheridan’s Departure Might Prompt Positive Changes for Paramount+ Long Term
Another reason Paramount+ subscribers might not want to worry too much just yet is that Sheridan leaving might end up being a positive for the platform over all. As we’ve noted, Sheridan is responsible for a disproportionate amount of the platform’s content. While that has been successful overall, it’s also something that has never truly been sustainable in the bigger picture. By being reliant on one creator, Paramount+ has been able to sort of kick the can down the proverbial road in terms of figuring out what it wants to do with the platform further into the future. Knowing that Sheridan’s departure is coming, this could force Paramount+ to figure out how it wants to expand offerings beyond Sheridan-created projects.
And this isn’t a matter of Sheridan’s projects having a specific lifespan; while Sheridan is widely known for Yellowstone, his work encompasses far more than cowboys and ranches. Instead, it’s a matter of seeking out and cultivating new and different creative voices and expanding offerings now so that when Sheridan does depart, the streamer has already transitioned. The time between now and the departure is a safety n et of sorts that has the potential to make Paramount+ better.
This transitional time is also a perfect opportunity for Paramount to take a hard look at some of its other major offerings and figure out the best way forward with them. Specifically, while Paramount+ is developing new, enticing content to carry the platform beyond its Sheridan years, they should also be working on a roadmap for the future of its other major entertainment goldmine — Star Trek. There is still a lot of potential with the Star Trek franchise that hasn’t yet been explored and with sci-fi hotter than ever, now would be the time for Paramount to come up with a plan for the franchise’s future. If Paramount+ does the work now in terms of figuring out how they want to go forward with content more broadly and with Star Trek specifically, by the time 2028 rolls around and everything changes, it might not even matter that the streamer is going through such a big change. They will have set themself up for success, even without their biggest creative force to date.
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