Taylor Sheridan Accused of Stealing 'Yellowstone' Idea in Lawsuit

Key Points:

• Taylor Sheridan has been sued for copyright infringement by writer Lauren J. Salkin, who claims he stole her idea for the hit series "Yellowstone" from her 2016-2017 pitch titled "Sovereign Nation."
• Salkin alleges that she submitted her pilot script and materials to Sheridan’s production company, which reviewed them, and that "Yellowstone" shares specific characters, plot points, and thematic elements with her work.
• The lawsuit highlights similarities such as a tribal casino as a power center, land disputes, and even casting overlaps, including actors Danny Huston and Gil Birmingham, who were named in Salkin’s pitch and later cast in "Yellowstone."
• Salkin seeks an injunction to stop further infringement, unspecified damages including profits from the "Yellowstone" franchise, and a jury trial; Sheridan and co-defendants have not commented on the lawsuit.
• "Yellowstone," which debuted in 2018, has been a major success for Paramount, spawning multiple spinoffs, while Sheridan is preparing to leave Paramount for a new deal with NBCUniversal starting in 2029.