EXCLUSIVE: Taylor Sheridan Hit by Lawsuit Claiming He Stole 'Yellowstone'
Taylor Sheridan faces lawsuits claiming he stole the Western drama 'Yellowstone' from its creator.
Sept. 12 2026, Published 10:00 a.m. ET
A Hollywood television writer has hit Taylor Sheridan with a lawsuit claiming he stole her idea for the massive hit series Yellowstone, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Lauren J. Salkin filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the 56-year-old TV hitmaker, who has since spun off four shows from the blockbuster series that she claims is wholly based on an idea she pitched to his production company 10 years ago.
'Yellowstone' Creator Accused of Using Writer's Ideas
Lauren J. Salkin claims she submitted her 'Sovereign Nation' pilot script to Taylor Sheridan's Elevate Entertainment.
The lawsuit details Salkin's claims she submitted a pilot script called Sovereign Nation to Sheridan's Elevate Entertainment, which included a full-series concept and storylines, along with full character descriptions she said served as models for Yellowstone.
The complaint alleges the show – which Salkin claims she spent more than a decade developing – was a "dramatic television series centered on tribal governance, casino-driven economic power, and a modern war over land and development."
She also insists she has proof that the materials were reviewed by Sheridan's teams in a Feb. 1, 2017, note from the company that read: "Taylor thanks you very much for your interest. Unfortunately, he's unavailable for TV projects."
The complaint points out Paramount then gave the green light to Yellowstone "within months."
Writer's Lawyer Vows to Fight Over 'Stolen' Story
Paramount reportedly gave 'Yellowstone' the green light within months of Salkin's alleged submission.
Just as damning, the suit asserts a creative executive from HBO reviewed her creative materials for Sovereign Nation alongside those for Yellowstone at the time and he "terminated Sheridan's project at HBO for that reason."
Salkin's attorney detailed her arguments in a statement saying: "She spent years putting together the specific and multi-layered framework for a story that has become the biggest streaming success of all time. She has watched the vast commercial success of this story that was stolen from her and decided that enough was enough. We will do everything in our power to get her justice."
Writer Seeks Damages Over 'Yellowstone' and Hit Spinoffs
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Salkin is seeking damages and an injunction over the alleged copyright infringement.
The complaint also points out Salkin's concept has also given rise to the spinoff series 1883, 1923, Marshals and Dutton Ranch – and "has generated billions of dollars" while Salkin claims she "has received nothing."
The relatively unknown writer is seeking damages for the alleged copyright infringement, and an injunction to prevent the defendants from continued use of what she insists is her copyrighted material.
