Writer sues Taylor Sheridan alleging idea theft for "Yellowstone"
A Virginia journalist claims her series concept was used without permission in the TV drama "Yellowstone" and its spinoffs, filing a federal lawsuit against writer-director Taylor Sheridan and associated studios.
A federal lawsuit filed Friday accuses writer-director Taylor Sheridan of appropriating a television series concept developed by journalist and screenwriter Lauren J. Salkin. Salkin says she spent more than a decade creating a drama titled “Sovereign Nation,” focused on tribal governance, casino-driven economics and land disputes, and that she submitted the pilot script to Sheridan’s management company, Elevate Entertainment, in February 2017. An email response from the company thanked her for her interest but noted Sheridan was unavailable for TV projects.
Shortly thereafter, Paramount greenlit Sheridan’s series “Yellowstone,” which premiered on June 20, 2018. The complaint lists several similarities between Salkin’s materials and “Yellowstone,” including specific narrative elements and casting suggestions that later appeared in the show. It also alleges that the subsequent spinoffs “1883,” “1923,” “Marshalls” and “Dutton Ranch” derive from the same source.
“Copyright law does not protect the abstract idea of a Western, a land dispute, an Indian casino, or a powerful family — and that is not Plaintiff’s claim. The infringement alleged here lies in the copying of Salkin’s particular expressive choices and their coordinated selection and arrangement.”
The suit seeks a jury trial, an injunction to stop further use of the material, and unspecified damages. Representatives for Sheridan, Paramount and NBCUniversal have not responded to requests for comment.