Taylor Sheridan has made use of an extremely clever casting trick for most of his TV shows, and his newest series, Landman, is set to continue that trend in the best way possible. Sheridan has become one of the most prolific and successful writers in Hollywood over the past decade, and it was not simply a stroke of good luck. The quality of his shows and movies have obviously been the main component of his success, but many of Taylor Sheridan’s best TV shows have made very smart decisions that helped them find wide audiences and critical acclaim.

Sheridan has enjoyed quite a bit of success from that tactic, and Landman seems set to continue it. Now that Landman has a set release date, it’s quickly becoming one of the most exciting new projects Sheridan has coming out. Landman already has a lot of advantages – Sheridan’s name carries quite a bit of weight, and it’s set to release alongside the long-awaited Yellowstone season 5, part 2, which should draw in viewers – but one of Sheridan’s oldest TV casting tricks may help it even more.

Landman Continues Taylor Sheridan’s Impressive TV Show Casting Streak

Taylor Sheridan has made quite a few TV shows in his writing career, and they vary greatly from one another. Several of them are westerns, like Yellowstone and its various spinoffs, but he’s also dipped into crime dramas with Tulsa King, thrillers like Mayor of Kingstown, and more. The one aspect that ties all of Sheridan’s shows together, however, is the fact that all of them cast a major movie star in a leading role. The only series that somewhat missed this trend was Lawmen: Bass Reeves, but that show still featured Donald Sutherland and Dennis Quaid, and David Oyelowo is far from unknown.

Sheridan’s use of established movie stars to helm his TV projects is frankly brilliant, and it makes perfect sense that Sheridan’s upcoming show, Landman, secured Billy Bob Thornton to play the lead role. Getting a big name actor to star in a new show is a very easy way to increase excitement for the project, and it signals that the show will be of a very high quality. Casting movie stars has helped Sheridan’s shows become wildly popular, and they’ve helped him become one of the most successful writers in Hollywood. Thornton’s work in Landman should only continue Sheridan’s hot streak.

Why Billy Bob Thornton Is Perfect For Landman

Thornton gives Landman quite a bit of credibility and excitement before it has even premiered, and he’s perfect for Landman. Thornton has a huge amount of acting experience, and he’s even worked with Sheridan in the past, as he appeared in an episode of 1883. His character in Landman should be able to make use of his extensive experience, as he’ll play Tommy Norris, a crisis manager for the oil industry who has to deal with a variety of problems (via Vanity Fair). It sounds like Thornton could really show off his range as an actor in Landman, which is exactly where he excels.

Billy Bob Thornton’s TV Career Explained

Thornton has been primarily a movie star for most of his acting career, but he does have some experience starring in television shows. Thornton was a main character in Hearts Afire for several years in the 90s, and he’s also appeared in several small roles in other shows since then. Interestingly, he seems to have grown more interested in TV roles as of late, as two of his most prominent shows have been in the past 10 years. Thornton starred in Fargo season 1 in 2014, and in Goliath beginning in 2016. Landman then seems like a perfect continuation of his recent trend.

• 

  Fargo

  Anthology

  Crime

  Drama

  Comedy

  Thriller

  Fargo is a Black Comedy Crime Drama television series that is based on the film of the same name, which was originally created by the Coen Brothers. The TV adaptation was developed by Noah Hawley and follows an anthology format for each of its seasons, taking place in a different time period or location within the “Fargo” universe. So far, the series has seen big-name stars like Billy Bob Thornton, Ewan McGregor, Chris Rock, and Kirsten Dunst.

  Cast

  Billy Bob Thornton
  , Allison Tolman
  , Martin Freeman
  , Kirsten Dunst
  , Patrick Wilson
  , Jesse Plemons
  , Ewan McGregor
  , Carrie Coon
  , Chris Rock
  , Jessie Buckley
  , Jason Schwartzman
  , Juno Temple
  , Jon Hamm

  Release Date

  
  April 15, 2014
  

  Seasons

  5

  Network

  FX

  Streaming Service(s)

  Hulu

  Writers

  Noah Hawley

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• 

  goliath

  Drama

  Goliath is a 2016 legal drama that is available to stream on Prime Video. Billy Bob Thorton stars as Billy McBride, a former lawyer who is trying to find justice in a corrupt legal system after he let a murderer walk free on a technicality. The series lasted for a total of four seasons.

  Cast

  Billy Bob Thornton

  Release Date

  
  October 13, 2016
  

  Seasons

  4

  Network

  Amazon Prime Video

  Streaming Service(s)

  Amazon Prime Video

  Writers

  David E. Kelley

  Expand

With Billy Bob Thornton in the lead role, the stars seem to be aligning for Landman. Sheridan has been looking for a new show to replace Yellowstone as his most successful project ever since Kevin Costner left to make Horizon: An American Saga. Yellowstone season 5, part 2 will be the end of his flagship show, but Landman could easily become Sheridan’s replacement. It’s already continuing one of his previous projects’ best trends, and it has more than enough star power to gain serious traction. Billy Bob Thornton and Landman could very well become the best things in the Western genre.

Source: Vanity Fair