Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone glow-up made his Sons of Anarchy revenge feel personal but breaking his own rule made it seem pointless.

Taylor Sheridan has never been one to play by Hollywood’s rules, but when it comes to his own, he bent them hard. After allegedly getting burned by Sons of Anarchy back in the day, Sheridan’s revenge arc felt personal. He’s taken shots at the show, the system, and the politics behind the scenes.

But here’s the thing: he did exactly what he swore off in Yellowstone. All that talk about not working with certain people, not selling out, and keeping it raw, he tossed that aside when the franchise exploded. The grudge made sense once, but it felt like a contradiction.

Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone ego trip made his Sons of Anarchy revenge pointless

Taylor Sheridan in Yellowstone Season 4, Episode 4 | Credits: Paramount Network

Back in the day, Taylor Sheridan swore he’d never pull a Quentin Tarantino. Referencing actors-turned-writers who sneak themselves into their own work, he told Uproxx in 2016,

There are a number of people who have done that. I don’t want to be one of those guys.

Fast forward to Yellowstone, and guess who showed up in cowboy boots? Sheridan as Travis Wheatley. So what changed at the time made sense. Wheatley was a horse trainer, something TS knew like the back of his saddle.

He trained the horses for the show, so why not play the guy training them on screen? It was a quick cameo. Until it wasn’t.

By the time Yellowstone hit Season 5, Sheridan had leveled up from bit-part wrangler to center-stage cowboy fantasy. One episode basically turned into a Travis Wheatley highlight reel shirtless scenes, wild parties, women swooning, and Rip Wheeler casually hyping him up. Suddenly, the guy who didn’t want the spotlight was flexing under it.

Fans weren’t shy about calling it out either. But the glow-up was hard to miss. Producers tried to spin it, saying he just wanted to add humor to a heavy season. But Sheridan popped up again on Lioness shirtless, naturally, and made a cameo in 1883.

Ironically, this all kicked off because Taylor Sheridan once got passed over on Sons of Anarchy. His Yellowstone glow-up looked a lot like revenge. Just not the quiet kind.

Beth and Rip ride again as Yellowstone spin-off sets 2025 debut

Kelly Reilly in Yellowstone | Credits: Paramount Network

Beth and Rip are back, and Yellowstone: Dutton Ranch (unofficial title) is saddling up for a Q4 2025 debut, likely in November. Paramount dropped the news during its Q1 2025 earnings call, and fans of chaotic love stories just exhaled in relief (via Collider).

The new spin-off picks up where Yellowstone left off with Beth, Rip, and Carter building a quieter life west of Dillon, Montana. But if you know Taylor Sheridan, “quiet” won’t last long. Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser are officially returning. And while no other cast members are confirmed yet, don’t rule out familiar faces like Lloyd or Walker showing up.

This isn’t the only Sheridan-verse expansion coming. Tulsa King Season 3, Mayor of Kingstown Season 4, and Landman all drop in fall 2025, right alongside this legacy sequel.