Taylor Sheridan sued over alleged “Yellowstone” similarities

TV writer and entertainment journalist Lauren J. Salkin has sued Taylor Sheridan, NBCUniversal and Paramount, alleging that Sheridan’s hit series “Yellowstone” copied the concept of her unpublished work.

According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Salkin says she submitted a pilot script called “Sovereign Nation,” along with supporting materials, to Sheridan’s production company between 2016 and 2017. She claims the company acknowledged receiving the material and told her that Sheridan was unavailable for television projects.

Salkin alleges that “Yellowstone” was approved just months later and argues that the series shares similarities with her work in its characters, storylines and overall tone. She is seeking an injunction against further alleged infringement and unspecified damages, including profits from the series.

“Yellowstone,” which premiered in 2018, starred Kevin Costner, Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly, Cole Hauser and Wes Bentley. Its success led to several spinoffs, including “1883” and “1923.”

Sheridan has previously said that “Yellowstone” was inspired in part by Larry McMurtry’s “Lonesome Dove” and its television adaptation. The lawsuit’s allegations have not been established in court.