Taylor Sheridan—a revered writer, producer, and director— is the maestro behind some of the most thrilling and gripping stories in Hollywood today. If you haven’t heard of him yet, then you must be living under a rock in the Badlands.
Ever seen spoken word turn into a cinematic spectacle? Sheridan’s neo-Western drama, Yellowstone, has not just etched its name on the screen; it has garnered a fan base that’s thunderous enough to echo across the valleys. Two spin-offs to date, and with rumors of another on the horizon, you’d think Sheridan found Aladdin’s lamp!
Well, don’t be fooled; Yellowstone is just the tip of the iceberg. His portfolio proudly boasts cinematic gems like Wind River, Sicario, and Hell or High Water. His fervor for the Western genre is akin to a cowboy’s love for his hat, inspired by yesteryears’ literature and films, particularly one iconic Clint Eastwood Western.
And let’s set the record straight—to some, Sheridan might seem to carry a huge ego, but his artistic sacrifices for deeply personal stories in Wind River would surely have Eastwood nodding with respect & approval.
Taylor Sheridan’s Vision For Wind River Would Make Clint Eastwood Tip His Hat
In a 2022 chinwag with Variety, Taylor Sheridan opened up about his creative influences and the Wild West inspiration that fuels his storytelling.
The mastermind behind Yellowstone made it clear that he’s been riding the inspiration train fueled by some heavyweight literary and cinematic legends like Cormac McCarthy, Larry McMurtry, and Toni Morrison. These wordsmiths painted a vivid picture of the post-Civil War era. And let’s be honest, Sheridan’s cinematic saloon is no stranger to these themes. To quote him:
I was very influenced by writers like Cormac McCarthy, Larry McMurtry, Toni Morrison, who wrote about the time around the Civil War, which is obviously very similar themes. There’s a lot of Westerns about it. And in terms of the movies that influenced me, it was watching ‘Unforgiven’ when I was in my late teens or very early 20s.
Unforgiven, a classic Clint Eastwood gem, is a prime example of a film that didn’t just break the mold; it smashed it to smithereens. It’s got that raw edge that Sheridan has always admired, emulated in Yellowstone and his other works. And then he channeled that same sense of desolation into Wind River.
Speaking of the 2017 neo-Western crime film, Sheridan revealed to Esquire that this film is close to his heart. The director, 54, admitted that Wind River is a “deeply personal” project for him and ergo, he felt that the story required his utmost attention and care to capture its essence accurately. In his words:
I wanted to make sure it was handled exactly the way I thought it needed to be because of what it was dealing with. If it didn’t work, it needed to be on my shoulders. It takes place on the Wind River Indian reservation.
The weight of responsibility for getting it right was squarely on his shoulders; if the film didn’t hit the mark, it was his burden to bear.
Taylor Sheridan’s ‘God Complex’ After Yellowstone? More Hype Than Substance
After Taylor Sheridan hit the jackpot with his recent string of TV drama hits, some whisperings have surfaced suggesting he might be sporting a bit of a “God complex” (via Daily Mail). According to the New York Post’s report, the sky-high success may have gone to his head a little, leaving him perched at the top of the heap with an inflated sense of self:
Only Taylor truly knows what is going on. Taylor spent years not being truly appreciated in Hollywood, and now that he’s the top of the heap, there’s definitely some ego to all of this.
It seems that apparently, his success with Yellowstone and its spin-offs has him feeling like he’s got the Midas touch—everything he touches turns to gold.
Regardless, despite the dust settling on Yellowstone, Sheridan isn’t about to rest on his laurels. The rumor mill is churning with tales of a new spin-off, The Madison, brewing in his creative kitchen, and the buzz suggests that Michelle Pfeiffer and Patrick J. Adams might be the next big names in one of these upcoming ventures.