Paramount struck gold with Yellowstone, the Taylor Sheridan western series that swept the world and left a ton of spinoffs, prequels, and possibility in its wake, but the next property that could potentially take its place has a legendary name attached to the project. While Yellowstone, which debuted in 2018, starred Kevin Costner as John Dutton, the franchise has been able to bring aboard tons of big names throughout. With actors like Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren, and Sam Elliott all appearing across the greater Yellowstone universe, the franchise has worked hard to establish itself as a high-brow TV universe.
Even with the big talent that’s come to Yellowstone throughout the years, the shows stretching across time and space means that only a few of the actors in the franchise have interacted with one another. Costner was on the main series, for example, while Mirren and Ford were on 1923, and Elliott was on 1883, making some of the names more isolated to their specific prequel or spinoff in the universe. The new Paramount+ project on the table that could be great for western audiences, Laird, brings another level of talent to the platform with Kenneth Branagh joining the cast.
While the details surrounding Laird aren’t fully available yet, bringing Branagh into an epic universe that has the potential to spark as wildly as Yellowstone is a feat. Paramount+ has the chance to do something big once again, and not long after the intense hype of Yellowstone first took hold.
Paramount’s New Series Is Yellowstone, But In Scotland
Although it’s likely some time before full details emerge about what’s to come for the series, Paramount+’s Laird is prime to be the next Yellowstone. Set in Scotland, the show’s logline calls Laird, “an epic family saga in which a proud Scot defies a shadowy American billionaire hellbent on buying up the glens.” Starring Branagh, Laird would focus on his character, Laird of Castle Drummoch, who “remains determined to protect his ancestral lands from oligarchical land grabbing.” The new series seems like it would be similar to Yellowstone in the way it focuses on legacy, with land being the middleman.
With Yellowstone having come to an end after five seasons in 2024, the streamer has been able to bring other shows to life within the same universe, but the franchise hasn’t been as big as the original series was during its run. As Taylor Sheridan moves away from the platform and finds himself immersed in other projects, Paramount+ has been looking for a series like Laird, which is co-created by Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth, who co-created the platform’s hit The Agency. With Laird bringing Branagh aboard, it’s clear that Paramount+ is looking for another hit in the lineup.
Kenneth Branagh Is Perfect For The ‘John Dutton’ Role
Although Yellowstone‘s viewers may already be familiar with Branagh’s work, his attachment to Laird is a great sign as it rolls toward production. Like Costner when he came to Yellowstone, Branagh is best known for his work on the big screen, having appeared in a variety of projects through his storied career. With eight Oscar nominations over the course of his career and one win, for the original screenplay of 2022’s Belfast, Branagh’s recent work includes hits like Oppenheimer, My Week With Marilyn, and Dunkirk. Coming into the Paramount+ project, Branagh will be working through fresh eyes coming to TV.
While Branagh is an Emmy nominee four times over, having won for his role in Conspiracy in 2001, his television credits are limited and were mostly earlier in his career. Now, coming into Laird in the streaming world, Branagh will get to dip his toe in the pool of limited series, creating an opportunity for something as massive as Yellowstone to take hold. With a great story and a great actor coming together to make something magical, Paramount+ could have its next massive franchise on its hands as it moves forward with Laird.
- Release Date
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2018 – 2024
- Network
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Paramount Network
- Showrunner
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Taylor Sheridan
- Directors
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Stephen Kay, Taylor Sheridan, Christina Alexandra Voros, Guy Ferland, John Dahl
- Writers
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John Coveny, Ian McCulloch