Mike Fleming Jr: How The Battle For ‘Yellowstone’s Taylor Sheridan Was Won, And Lost

Exclusive: At the end of the day, NBCUniversal’s poach of Yellowstone co-creator Taylor Sheridan came down to money. Sources said that the five-year deal that begins in 2029 (earlier for movies) is at the unprecedented $1 billion territory. That is how it will work out in creator/EP and writer fees and backend, if the prolific Sheridan follows through on his plans to create 20 shows for NBC and the NBCUniversal streamer Peacock. There are slot guarantees, the equivalent of put pictures all over the place.

But there were many steps in between, including another example where when Donna Langley wants something, she finds a way to get it.

While Sheridan felt the frost from Paramount’s TV leaders on the streaming side Cindy Holland, who runs Paramount+, and Dana Goldberg, who oversees the Paramount TV Studios where Sheridan is based, the courtship from others was vigorous. That include Warner Bros Discovery…