Taylor Sheridan Accused of Stealing ‘Yellowstone’ Idea from TV Writer’s Pitch

A TV writer and entertainment journalist, Lauren J. Salkin, has sued Taylor Sheridan, Paramount, and NBC Universal for allegedly stealing her idea for a TV show, ‘Sovereign Nation,’ and using it to create the hit series ‘Yellowstone.’

According to the lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Salkin submitted a pilot script, show bible, and pitch deck for ‘Sovereign Nation’ to Sheridan’s representatives at Elevate Entertainment in late 2016 and early 2017.

‘Sovereign Nation’ is described as a dramatic television series centered on tribal governance, casino-driven economic power, and a modern war over land and development. The show, which Salkin spent over 10 years developing, features a tribal casino functioning as the institutional center of political and development power, a signature confrontation staged in the tribal chairman’s casino office over expansion beyond reservation boundaries, and recurring master-plan imagery deployed to dramatize the struggle for territorial control.

The lawsuit alleges that Sheridan received a response from Elevate on February 1, 2017, stating that he was unavailable for TV projects. However, within months, Paramount greenlit Sheridan’s ‘Yellowstone,’ which premiered on the Paramount Network on June 20, 2018, and later began streaming on Peacock.

The suit claims that ‘Yellowstone’ features specific expressive choices already embodied in Salkin’s materials, including the use of trust land, the absence of zoning restrictions, and a 99-year lease structure as the concrete mechanism for that expansion. Salkin also argues that the show followed several of her proposed casting recommendations for key roles in ‘Sovereign Nation.’

A senior HBO scripted TV executive who had reviewed materials for ‘Sovereign Nation’ later told Salkin that he recognized similarities in ‘Yellowstone.’ Salkin is seeking damages and profits tied to alleged copyright infringement and injunctive relief preventing future infringement.

Attorney Paul B. Lackey stated, ‘This is a classic David-versus-Goliath situation. She spent years putting together the specific and multi-layered framework for a story that has become the biggest streaming success of all time. She has watched the vast commercial success of this story that was stolen from her and decided that enough was enough.’

Reps for Sheridan, Paramount, Elevate, and NBCUniversal have not yet responded to THR’s request for comment.

The lawsuit highlights the complexities of copyright law and the challenges of protecting original ideas in the entertainment industry. It also raises questions about the ownership and authorship of creative works, particularly in the context of television shows and movies.

As the case unfolds, it will be interesting to see how the courts navigate the nuances of copyright law and the creative process. In the meantime, the lawsuit serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting intellectual property and the need for creators to take ownership of their original ideas.

Lauren J. Salkin’s lawsuit against Taylor Sheridan, Paramount, and NBC Universal is a significant development in the world of entertainment, highlighting the complexities of copyright law and the challenges of protecting original ideas.