Taylor Sheridan Yellowstone lawsuit
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The gist
Writer Lauren J. Salkin sued Taylor Sheridan, claiming he stole her 2016 pitch for 'Yellowstone'. The lawsuit seeks damages and an injunction against further infringement.
Background
Taylor Sheridan is the creator of the hit TV series 'Yellowstone'. Lauren J. Salkin, a Virginia-based journalist and screenwriter, filed a federal lawsuit on Aug. 21, 2026, alleging that Sheridan and several companies, including Paramount and NBCUniversal, stole her idea for a show called 'Sovereign Nation' to create 'Yellowstone'. Salkin claims she submitted her pitch to Sheridan's representatives in 2016 and 2017, and that 'Yellowstone' captures the total concept and feel of her work.
How it unfolded
- 2016 -2017Salkin submitted her pilot script and materials for 'Sovereign Nation' to Sheridan's production company.
- Aug 21, 2026Salkin filed a copyright infringement lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, naming Sheridan, Elevate Entertainment, Paramount, NBCUniversal, and others as defendants.
- Aug 22, 2026 -23, 2026News outlets reported on the lawsuit; representatives for the defendants did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Who’s saying what
- Plaintiff
- Salkin claims 'Yellowstone' copies her specific expressive choices, including a tribal casino as a power center and a confrontation in the chairman's office, not just the abstract idea of a Western.
- Defendants
- Sheridan and other defendants have not publicly commented on the lawsuit.
Still unverified
The lawsuit's allegations are unproven; Sheridan has not responded publicly. Salkin's claims of similarity are based on her own comparison.