Taylor Sheridan Accused of Stealing ‘Yellowstone’ From 2016 Pitch in Copyright Lawsuit

Home TV News Aug 22, 2026 12:56pm PT Taylor Sheridan Accused of Stealing ‘Yellowstone’ From 2016 Pitch in Copyright Lawsuit By Jack Dunn Plus Icon Jack Dunn Latest Taylor Sheridan Accused of Stealing ‘Yellowstone’ From 2016 Pitch in Copyright Lawsuit 36 seconds ago Mark Ruffalo Fires Back After Paramount Slammed His Merger Attack as ‘Antisemitic’: ‘Appalling and Fundamentally Dishonest’ 34 minutes ago ‘National Treasure 3’ Is ‘Happening,’ Says Franchise Director Jon Turteltaub 2 hours ago See All Getty Images for Paramount+ Writer Lauren J. Salkin has accused Taylor Sheridan of stealing his marquee series “Yellowstone” from her 2016 pitch in a lawsuit filed on Friday. 101 Studios, Paramount and Elevate Entertainment are also listed as defendants. Reps for Sheridan, 101 Studios, Paramount and Elevate Entertainment did not immediately respond to Variety’s request for comment. In the court documents, obtained by Variety, Salkin alleges that she pitched her own sprawling Western drama, “Sovereign Nation,” to Sheridan’s management company, Elevate Entertainment, in 2016, only to be told: “Taylor thanks you very much for your interest. Unfortunately, he’s unavailable for TV projects.” The suit then claims that “Yellowstone” was greenlit at Paramount “within months” of her rejection. Related Stories Emmy Overachiever Jason Bateman on Whether He Considers Himself an Actor or Director First