Yellowstone Co-Creator Taylor Sheridan Takes Over Showrunning Duties on Lioness for Paramount+

Yellowstone‘s Taylor Sheridan is officially stepping into a larger role on one of his newest projects. On Tuesday, it was announced (via a report from Variety) that Sheridan will be taking over as the showrunner of Lioness, the upcoming Paramount+ series that he initially created. The show, which stars Zoe Saldaña and Laysla De Oliveira, was originally being showrun by NOS4A2 and Hell on Wheels‘ Thomas Brady. Once Lioness‘ writers’ room wrapped, Brady and the show’s producers reportedly amicably decided to part ways due to creative differences. Production on the show is expected to begin in September of this year.

Lioness will follow Cruz Manuelos (De Oliveira), described as a rough-around-the-edges but passionate young Marine, who is recruited to join the CIA’s Lioness Engagement Team to help bring down a terrorist organization from within. Saldaña will play Joe, the station chief of the Lioness program tasked with training, managing and leading her female undercover operatives. The show, which has been in development for several years, is based on a real CIA program, in which women were trained to infiltrate criminal and terrorist networks.

Lioness will be executive produced by Saldaña, as well as Nicole Kidman, Geyer Kosinski, Jill Wagner, David C. Glasser, Ron Burkle, Bob Yari and David Hutkin.

Sheridan initially created Lioness as part of his overall deal with Paramount, which also includes established shows like Yellowstone, its prequel series 1883, and Mayor of Kingstown. New shows under Sheridan’s umbrella will also include another Yellowstone spinoff 1923, as well as Tulsa King, Land Man, and a currently-untitled Bass Reeves series.

“Taylor Sheridan is a visionary creative whose work has reinvented genres and amassed fan bases around the globe; we are thrilled he calls ViacomCBS and MTV Entertainment his home,” MTV Entertainment president Chris McCarthy said in a statement when Sheridan renewed his overall deal in 2021. “We couldn’t be more excited to build upon our partnership with him, expand the Yellowstone universe and showcase Taylor’s boundless talent across all of our brands and platforms.”

What do you think of Taylor Sheridan taking over as showrunner of Lioness? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!