Billy Bob Thornton may well be deep in the heart of Texas shooting the second season of Taylor Sheridan‘s latest mega hit, Landman, but he’s been looking back at the conclusion of Season 1. More specially, he’s been reflecting on how Sheridan reshaped the ending.
The final episode concluded with a symbolic encounter and, unlike usual Sheridan fare, this was a silent one: Tommy observing a coyote near his residence, a moment reflecting his own shaky position at the top of the power tree, and hinting at the challenges that lie ahead in the wake of witnessing a brutal murder.
According to Thornton, the scene had far more dialogue that what we actually saw, but having sat down with Sheridan to discuss it, the pair decided that less was more.
“Originally there was a bunch of dialogue in those scenes. Taylor and I talked it over. You know what, I don’t know if I should say anything. People are going to get it. We don’t need to put a hat on a hat. It was a very powerful scene even doing it. Getting a coyote to stand still and stare at you is not easy but we managed.”
What Other TV Shows Has Taylor Sheridan Worked On?
Sheridan is best known as the creative force behind Yellowstone, the hit neo-Western drama starring Kevin Costner, which wrapped up its five-season run last year in contentious fashion. The series has also spawned a number of spin-offs. 1883 and 1923 are spin-offs which tell the story of how the Dutton family — led by Costner — came to settle in Montana. Three sequel series are currently in the works, including The Madison — which stars Michelle Pfeiffer, Kurt Russell, Matthew Fox and Patrick J. Adams — and two untitled series following Beth and Rip (Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser), and Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes).
Alongside Yellowstone and Landman, Sheridan also delivered new seasons of Tulsa King—a fun, frothy yet gritty comedy-drama crime series headlined by Sylvester Stallone—and Lioness, a high-stakes espionage thriller starring Zoe Saldaña.
His growing TV empire also includes Mayor of Kingstown, a crime drama fronted by Avengers star Jeremy Renner. Before transitioning to television, Sheridan made his mark in film as the writer of Sicario and its sequel, Sicario: Day of the Soldado, both starring Josh Brolin and Benicio del Toro.
Where Do I Know Billy Bob Thornton From?
Thornton famously won an Academy Award for writing Sling Blade, which he also directed and starred in. It was that movie which really put him on the map as both a serious actor and filmmaker. He’s also known for his chilling turn as the hitman Lorne Malvo in the first season of Fargo (2014), which earned him a Golden Globe. On the big screen, some of his most memorable roles include Bad Santa (2003), where he played the hilariously inappropriate Willie; Armageddon (1998), where he played a NASA executive tasked with overseeing a mission to save the world; Monster’s Ball (2001), opposite Halle Berry in an Oscar-winning turn for the actress; and Friday Night Lights (2004), as a high school football coach in an acclaimed sports movie that inspired a television series of the same name. Thornton also led the Amazon legal drama Goliath from 2016 to 2021, prior to taking on his role in Landman.
Landman Season 2 is officially set to premiere on November 16, 2025, exclusively on Paramount+.
