One of Taylor Sheridan’s earliest projects, Sicario, is currently available on Amazon Prime Video, and it’s still superior to his work on Yellowstone. The Kevin Costner-led neo-Western kicked off in 2018, and despite a lukewarm reception to the first season, the series quickly became a hit, providing Paramount Network with a contender in the prestige television game. Until Yellowstone’s ending in 2024, Taylor Sheridan’s series was consistently one of the most-viewed shows in the world, resulting in multiple spinoff series and other high-budget television projects for Sheridan on Paramount+.
Taylor Sheridan has become a prolific success from Yellowstone, with his work essentially carrying Paramount+ on its back, giving it a chance against more prominent services like Netflix and Hulu, which have had far longer to accumulate libraries of original, exclusive content. Sheridan’s TV shows include Tulsa King, 1923, and most recently, the Billy Bob Thornton-led oil industry drama, Landman. Though they haven’t all been critically acclaimed, they’ve practically all been popular, with the mega-producer pumping out multiple seasons of television each year.
Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone Writing Isn’t As Good As Sicario
Sicario Is Still Taylor Sheridan’s Opus
Despite all of Sheridan’s work on the Yellowstone franchise and his other series being popular, he’s yet to have a project that tops Sicario as the crowning jewel of his filmography. The 2015 movie was Taylor Sheridan’s entry into screenwriting after struggling as an actor for years on shows like Sons of Anarchy. Sheridan’s writing, combined with the esteemed quality of filmmaker Denis Villeneuve (Dune, Blade Runner 2049), made Sicario one of the most compelling, rich action/crime thriller films of the decade, even spawning a sequel that was less well-received.
Taylor Sheridan’s various shows have their high points and their low points. The disparity in quality between, say, Yellowstone season 3 and Yellowstone season 5 is drastic, even though there are moments of genius in both. Sicario’s success could be attributed to Denis Villeneuve’s direction, as the 2018 sequel, which didn’t involve him, was met with far more mediocre reception. Even though Sheridan proved he wasn’t a one-hit-wonder with 2016’s Hell or High Water, another great film that earned him an Oscar nomination, it’s worth examining why he’s yet to live up to Sicario.
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Does Taylor Sheridan Write Too Many Shows Now?
Taylor Sheridan’s Shows Have Found Less Success With Critics In Recent Years
Taylor Sheridan is undoubtedly successful, and the popularity of his work is indicative of writing oriented toward a target audience that he’s proven capable of impressing. That being said, there’s a noticeable difference in quality between his earlier work and his newer shows. Even in cases like Landman, a show that’s been well-received and earned Golden Globe nominations, it’s not that the writing is bad; it’s primarily that it’s repetitive in its use of character archetypes and dramatic stakes that have already been used in Yellowstone and his other series.
Taylor Sheridan isn’t going to stop pumping these shows out as long as they’re still finding success on Paramount+
Billy Bob Thornton’s Tommy Norris is an incredibly entertaining character, but it’s hard not to note the similarities between his dialogue and John Dutton’s. Landman episode 4 even saw Rebecca Falcone directly repeat a zinger line that Beth Dutton said in Yellowstone season 3. Taylor Sheridan isn’t going to stop pumping these shows out as long as they’re still finding success on Paramount+, which is frustrating given what he’s proven capable of when giving the proper time and attention to his projects. The issue of quantity over quality is becoming apparent.
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Taylor Sheridan Should Reunite With Denis Villeneuve For Sicario 3
Taylor Sheridan Could Accomplish New Heights In A Sicrario Sequel
It’s not like Taylor Sheridan is in need of some career revival where he needs to rely on Denis Villeneuve for a sequel. However, the prospect of this duo reuniting for a third Sicario film is too exciting not to consider. Given that it’s been ten years since the first film, it would be fascinating to see how both artists have developed in their craft. Denis Villeneuve is currently working on his third Dune movie, and Sheridan is booked up with 1923, another upcoming Yellowstone sequel, and subsequent seasons for his other series, so there would be a wait.
Even if it means holding off for a few more years, if both parties are interested, Sicario 3 could be an excellent film, especially given how much of an audience the original movie has accumulated over time. There’s been discussion on and off for years about them returning for another sequel, and especially now that Yellowstone is over and done with, it’s the perfect time for Sheridan to take a break and return to Sicario.
Sicario is an action crime thriller from director Denis Villeneuve. The film stars Emily Blunt as Kate Macer, an FBI agent who is recruited to help Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) and Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro) in the war on drugs that is escalating on the US and Mexican border. The film was praised upon its release and nominated for three Oscars, which led to a sequel, Sicario: Day of the Soldado, in 2018.
- Release Date
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October 2, 2015
- Runtime
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121 Minutes
