Every Taylor Sheridan Project, Ranked: From Yellowstone Empire to Hidden Gems

Taylor Sheridan has become one of television’s most prolific creators, stamping his name on a sprawling universe of Western dramas, crime sagas, and character-driven stories. From reviving the TV Western with Yellowstone to branching into oil fields, prisons, and beyond, Sheridan’s projects often explore themes of family, power, morality, and the American frontier. With Dutton Ranch carrying the torch and new shows in development, here’s a look back at every major Taylor Sheridan project so far, ranked from worst to best.

21. Vile In all fairness, Sheridan doesn’t even classify Vile as his official directorial debut. He worked on this Saw-adjacent horror flick about a deadly escape room mainly as a favor to a friend. Sheridan has said it was a learning experience before making Wind River, but the film remains a footnote in his career.

20. Those Who Wish Me Dead Angelina Jolie stars as a firefighter in this 2021 box-office bomb directed by Sheridan. The story has more to do with running from assassins than actual firefighting. With so many projects under his belt, it’s understandable if you’ve never heard of this one.

19. Finestkind Ben Foster, Toby Wallace, Jenna Ortega, and Tommy Lee Jones star in this story about sea scallop fishermen in Massachusetts. Sheridan produced the film, which was written and directed by Brian Helgeland. It deals with masculinity and drug dealing but suffers from a clunky script.

18. Without Remorse Critics weren’t kind to Sheridan’s Tom Clancy adaptation (directed by Stefano Sollima), but Without Remorse boasts strong leads in Michael B. Jordan and Jodie Turner-Smith. The project sat in development hell for decades, so it’s hard to pin the blame on any one person.

17. The Last Cowboy Only dedicated Sheridan fans may remember this one. The Last Cowboy is a horse-riding competition series Sheridan created for CMT. It’s entertaining for newcomers while offering technical details for experts. Still, it could use less talking and more riding.

16. The Road Sheridan co-created this ten-episode singing competition series for CBS with Blake Shelton and Keith Urban. Adam Sanders was crowned champion. We’ll reserve judgment until we see how successful Sanders becomes on the country charts.

15. Sicario: Day of the Soldado This 2018 sequel doesn’t match the original Sicario, but it’s still worth watching for fans. Josh Brolin was at the peak of his career, starring in Deadpool 2 and Avengers: Infinity War that year.

14. Marshals Marshals disappointed many Yellowstone fans by turning Luke Grimes’ character into a police procedural and abandoning the tone that made the original feel unique. It continues to draw viewers on CBS and has a dedicated fanbase okay with the shift.

13. Mayor of Kingstown Jeremy Renner leads this prison drama with grit, but Mayor of Kingstown might be Sheridan’s weakest series. The deal-brokering between gangs and the prison system is intriguing, but too much focus on abuse drags it down. Season 4’s new villain, played by Edie Falco, helped refocus the story.

12. Tulsa King Sylvester Stallone was the perfect choice for this outlandish mob series about a New York mafioso sent to Oklahoma. Building a criminal empire in Tulsa doesn’t always make sense, but Stallone makes it work.

11. The Madison Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell lead this melodrama set in Montana’s river valley — Sheridan’s first pure melodrama. It follows a grieving widow discovering a new side of her late husband. The series offers strong performances and scenic beauty.

10. Lawmen: Bass Reeves David Oyelowo shines as the legendary first Black U.S. deputy marshal. The series lost steam toward the end, but Oyelowo’s portrayal brings respect and reverence to the forgotten hero.

9. Wind River Sheridan’s proper directorial debut starred Jeremy Renner as an FBI agent investigating the murder of a young woman on the Wind River Native American Reservation. Written to raise awareness about violence against Indigenous women, the film is powerful despite its uncomfortable depictions of crime.

8. Lioness Lioness takes Sheridan into new territory with a real-life undercover CIA program. It feels like Mayor of Kingstown in examining policy where no one wins, but it’s refreshing to see a more female-focused story.

7. 1923 This Yellowstone prequel delivered sprawling storytelling with Brandon Sklenar’s Spencer Dutton fighting lions in Africa and braving the seas. Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren fired shotguns to protect the ranch, while Aminah Nieves’ character escaped crooked priests and racist lawmen. It was a two-season love story Sheridan pulled off masterfully.

6. Hell or High Water Sheridan’s most famous film features Chris Pine and Ben Foster as bank robbers pursued by Texas Rangers. It earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay and helped get Yellowstone greenlit.

5. Sicario The film that put Sheridan on the map stars Josh Brolin as a CIA officer teaming with Emily Blunt’s FBI agent and Benicio del Toro’s assassin to take down a cartel lieutenant. It remains a tense, gripping thriller.

4. 1883 Sheridan gave fans the ultimate cowboy story with Sam Elliott leading this limited Yellowstone prequel alongside Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. Tracking the earliest Duttons on the Oregon Trail, it’s the perfect prequel.

3. Dutton Ranch It’s early, but after just four episodes, Dutton Ranch — starring Cole Hauser, Kelly Reilly, Ed Harris, and Annette Bening — feels like the sequel Yellowstone fans wanted. The sky’s the limit.

2. Landman Landman might be Sheridan’s best original idea outside the Yellowstone universe. Billy Bob Thornton leads this oil drama that feels like the real deal. Season 2 added Sam Elliott and Mandy Moore, resetting the board for season 3. Sheridan found another rich niche.

1. Yellowstone Like Succession with horses, Yellowstone created a TV empire from a damaged Montana family. Kevin Costner won a Golden Globe, and the supporting cast built a die-hard fanbase. Before Yellowstone, the TV cowboy felt extinct. Now, every aspiring actor needs a cowboy hat headshot. It’s simple: Yellowstone changed the game.

Sheridan’s output is remarkable, and his best work blends Western grit with modern storytelling. As new projects emerge, his ranking will only grow.