Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone Exit Could Be the Best Thing to Happen to Star Trek in Years

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The entertainment world was stunned to learn of a reported $1 billion deal between Universal and Taylor Sheridan. After about three years, the successful television creator will be leaving his current projects to start fresh with NBC and Peacock. Surprisingly, despite appearing as a loss for Paramount, this move is being seen as a major win for the company.

When the streaming services started competing for viewers, CBS All Access (now Paramount+) was initially boosted by the popularity of the Star Trek universe created by Gene Roddenberry. However, the newer Star Trek shows didn’t significantly attract new subscribers, as most fans were already watching. This changed when classic Star Trek episodes moved from other platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime to Paramount+. Around the same time, Taylor Sheridan’s success with Yellowstone led to the creation of several related shows, most of which premiered on Paramount+. These shows are largely credited with helping the streaming service improve its financial performance. By the time Sheridan fully moves to Universal in 2029, Paramount+ will have a collection of multi-season shows that could encourage repeat viewing and potentially attract new fans. While Sheridan’s departure as Paramount enters a new phase led by SkyDance feels like a significant loss, the interconnected series he created likely won’t have the lasting appeal of Star Trek.

Taylor Sheridan Became a Big Draw for Paramount, but Star Trek Is an Institution

It’s ironic that NBC, now owned by Universal, originally aired Star Trek in 1969, shortly after Paramount bought Desilu studios. Although the show was costly and faced difficulties during production, Star Trek: The Original Series became the most profitable hour-long scripted show in syndication over the following twenty years, generating significant revenue for Paramount. This success led to a series of films and a second wave of television shows, beginning with Star Trek: The Next Generation. A third wave of Star Trek shows emerged following further studio mergers and acquisitions, greatly expanding the franchise. Currently, Secret Hideout, the production company behind Star Trek, is working to finish the final seasons of Strange New Worlds and the second season of Starfleet Academy before their contract ends in 2026.

Trouble began when Kevin Costner, the lead actor, announced he wanted to leave the show. Reports indicate that the series and its related shows had a budget comparable to, or even exceeding, that of Star Trek. With other successful shows like Mayor of Kingstown and Tulsa King, a large portion of Paramount’s funding for original content was directed towards Taylor Sheridan. At the same time, the pace of new Star Trek shows and movies has significantly decreased, with many projects stalled or canceled. Just recently, five Star Trek series were actively in production, including both live-action and animated formats. While initially divisive, shows like The Animated Series, Deep Space Nine, and Enterprise are now celebrated as classics, and the newer shows are likely to be viewed similarly in the future.

Taylor’s involvement at Paramount always brought attention to new projects. It’s currently unknown whether Alex Kurtzman’s Secret Hideout will renew its deal with the studio. Even if they do, it’s uncertain if they’ll continue to be the sole producers of Star Trek. While the long-term impact of Sheridan’s work at Paramount remains to be seen, Star Trek’s future is more secure – the shows consistently age well and gain new fans over time. Whoever takes on the next chapter of Star Trek, entering its seventh decade, might have access to greater production funds, potentially resources that could have previously supported Sheridan’s projects.

How Sheridan and Star Trek’s Custodian Secret Hideout Differed In Their Approaches

The details of the split are complex, but ultimately come down to finances. Industry reports indicate Taylor Sheridan felt undervalued by David Ellison and the new leadership at Paramount. He was also reportedly upset with creative feedback on future projects from Cindy Holland, formerly of Netflix. Paramount also intended to reduce the budgets for his shows. Because Yellowstone, its spin-offs, and Sheridan’s other westerns were filmed on his private ranch, production costs were essentially invested in his own property. While Paramount will likely retain ownership of the shows they funded, Sheridan will keep the studio facilities built on his land.

As a huge Trek fan, it’s really exciting to hear how Secret Hideout has been investing in the future of the shows! They’ve used the money from the various Star Trek series to seriously upgrade the Toronto studios where everything is filmed. They even installed an amazing augmented reality wall – it’s the same kind of tech Star Wars uses for its Disney+ shows! They’re calling these upgraded stages Star Trekthemed, which means they’ve created a production hub that’s even bigger and more advanced than what we had during the TNG/DS9/VOY era. It’s great to see this happening, and it feels like Alex Kurtzman is really building something lasting. Though, if a new deal isn’t reached, it almost feels like whatever he’s built will just be passed on to whoever takes over Star Trek* next, which would be a shame.

It seems Paramount+ will likely remain the home for Taylor Sheridan’s shows, even if his new projects with NBC/Universal are successful. Fans who want to see everything Sheridan has created will probably still visit his previous work on the platform. While new creators like the Duffer Brothers might achieve similar success with their own ideas, the Star Trek universe proves that no single writer or producer can truly own a franchise. Even the original creator, Gene Roddenberry, was eventually followed by others – Rick Berman and Kurtzman – who simply maintained the existing world. Even if Taylor Sheridan’s Secret Hideout continues to operate at Paramount, eventually new people will take over, bringing fresh perspectives. Instead of focusing resources on building Sheridan’s individual brand, Paramount can invest in the larger storytelling universe, ensuring its lasting legacy.

Star Trek Will Always Be Paramount’s Most Important Name, Not Taylor Sheridan

The recent purchase of Paramount is a bold step, and if successful, it could present challenges for Star Trek. With DC Comics, Harry Potter, and many other popular franchises already under one roof, Star Trek might seem less prominent. However, the studio is now named “Paramount, a SkyDance company,” suggesting a full merger isn’t planned. Instead, we might see “Warner Bros., a SkyDance company” operate as a separate entity. While production and distribution could be combined, both studios are likely to maintain their individual brands.

The studio was struggling financially before the merger, which is why Paramount made its move. Even with HBO and Warner Bros. combined, the enduring appeal of Captains Kirk and Picard was valuable to other streaming services – attracting new viewers and keeping existing subscribers from canceling, especially given the long waits between seasons of shows like House of the Dragon. Fans don’t typically see Star Trek as the vision of one creator, like Kurtzman, Berman, or even Roddenberry. It’s become a larger entity where stories blend together over time. No matter what happens with Paramount going forward, Star Trek will remain a key asset, preventing the studio from fading into irrelevance.

I was a Paramount+ subscriber mostly because I love Taylor Sheridan’s shows, and I’d probably follow him even to Peacock. Honestly, a lot of us fans don’t really care who’s working behind the scenes – we just want his content! It made sense for Paramount+ to invest heavily in him while he was hot. But even if you don’t know anything about TV, you’ve definitely heard of Star Trek. Keeping Sheridan would have cost a fortune. Whether his shows will last is still up in the air, but without him, Paramount+ can put that money towards Star Trek, which is a much safer bet. It’s been a hit for almost 60 years, and no matter what happens in the industry, Star Trek always seems to do well – even the shows that aren’t huge successes still make money. It’s a franchise that’s here to stay.

The new series, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, will debut on January 15, 2026. Fans can also stream a variety of Star Trek shows and series created by Taylor Sheridan on Paramount+.

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2025-11-01 02:08