Taylor Sheridan Will Do More Than Produce 1883 Spin-Off Bass Reeves
"Yellowstone" creator and executive producer Taylor Sheridan is one of the busiest men in Hollywood these days, and his upcoming projects continue to pile up. Sheridan currently has seven new television series planned for release, many which of are spin-offs to "Yellowstone," such as the prequel series "1883" and "1923" (which also follows an earlier generation of the Dutton family), as well as "6666," set at the fictitious Four Sixes Ranch in Texas (via Parade). In addition to these expansions to the "Yellowstone" franchise, Sheridan is also at the head of upcoming shows like "Fast," "Lioness," "Land Man," and "Tulsa King" –- the latter of which is set to star legendary action star Sylvester Stallone.
Yet, of all the upcoming series that Taylor Sheridan is attached to, perhaps the most exciting is "1883: The Bass Reeves Story." This "Yellowstone" spin-off will focus on the legendary historical figure Bass Reeves, set to be played by Emmy award nominee David Oyelowo. A former slave from Arkansas, Deputy U.S. Marshal Reeves served for over thirty years within Native American territory, during which time the Chickasaw Enterprise reported that he arrested more than 3,000 outlaws (via Oklahoma Historical Society).
Not only was Reeves a celebrity within his own time, but some theorize he was the inspiration for the Lone Ranger. Since this series is still a spin-off of the "Yellowstone" prequel "1883," we imagine the show will be littered with Sheridan's signature style –- especially since he is now attached to the project as more than just a producer.
Sheridan will direct the first two episodes of 1883: The Bass Reeves Story
Although we've known for a while now that Taylor Sheridan was attached to the project as the creator and executive producer of the series, a recent report from Deadline indicates that Sheridan is now set to direct multiple episodes of "1883: The Bass Reeves Story." According to the article, Sheridan was so enamored with the pilot script for the series that he texted Oyelowo to ask if he could direct the first two episodes. Although it's unclear exactly who is writing the series, this news means that Sheridan will now be producing and directing the series all at once — which is certainly a daunting task, considering all of the other projects Sheridan has lined up.
As longtime "Yellowstone" fans will know, Sheridan is no stranger when it comes to directing. He has previously worked behind the camera for the pilot episode of "1883," two episodes of "Mayor of Kingstown," and 11 separate episodes of "Yellowstone" (via IMDb). In addition, Sheridan has also directed films such as "Those Who Wish Me Dead," "Vile," and "Wind River."
Considering that Sheridan is already working on seven upcoming television series, his commitment to directing two episodes of "1883: The Bass Reeves Story" is a major endorsement of the show's quality and demonstrates his passion for the series. In any case, one has to hope that Sheridan will manage to tell the story of Bass Reeves in a way that lives up to his legendary reputation –- now that he's behind the camera, he's got a great shot to do it.