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A TV writer is suing Taylor Sheridan after claiming he stole her idea for the show that eventually became Yellowstone.
Entertainment journalist Lauren J. Salkin filed a copyright infringement lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on Friday, August 21, according to multiple outlets. The complaint, which named Sheridan, 56, his management company Elevate Entertainment, Paramount and NBCUniversal as defendants, claimed Salkin submitted a completed pilot, show bible and pitch deck for a series called Sovereign Nation to Sheridan’s representatives in late 2016 and early 2017.
Salkin referred to the show as a “dramatic television series centered on tribal governance, casino-driven economic power and a modern war over land and development.” After working on the idea for over a decade, Salkin submitted it to Elevate and received a response in early 2017 saying Sheridan had passed.
“Taylor thanks you very much for your interest,” the alleged response read. “Unfortunately, he’s unavailable for TV Projects.”
Paramount subsequently greenlit Sheridan’s Yellowstone “within months.” The series, which ran from 2018 to 2024, followed the fictional Dutton family, who own the largest ranch in Montana. The franchise has since grown to include several spinoffs and prequels, including Dutton Ranch and Marshals.
Sheridan previously spoke to The Hollywood Reporter in 2023 about how Yellowstone started as a movie, claiming he pitched it as “The Godfather in Montana” before the series ended up in development at HBO. Amid alleged issues with the network, HBO didn’t move forward with Yellowstone, and Sheridan shopped it around to TNT and TBS before Paramount agreed to produce it.
In her complaint, Salkin alleged that a senior creative executive at HBO — who previously reviewed creative materials for Sovereign Nation — told her Sheridan’s concept for Yellowstone sounded similar when it was brought in.
The HBO executive allegedly “terminated Sheridan’s project at HBO for that reason” immediately, according to the lawsuit.
Salkin alleged that key plot devices, story mechanisms and character functions were the same in Yellowstone and Sovereign Nation. She also claimed Yellowstone featured several cast members that she suggested in her own list for Sovereign Nation.
After Yellowstone’s success “generated billions of dollars,” Salkin is seeking damages and profits tied to the alleged copyright infringement, as well as an injunction preventing the defendants from continuing to use her copyrighted material.
A specific total amount for the damages is not listed in the complaint.
“This is a classic David-versus-Goliath situation. She spent years putting together the specific and multi-layered framework for a story that has become the biggest streaming success of all time,” read a statement from Salkin’s attorney Paul B. Lackey. “She has watched the vast commercial success of this story that was stolen from her and decided that enough was enough. We will do everything in our power to get her justice.”
Us has reached out to Sheridan for comment.
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