Paramount+ announced on February 16th that Academy Award winner Billy Bob Thornton has been tapped to lead the upcoming drama series Land Man from creator Taylor Sheridan, and produced by MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios. The series will star Thornton as a crisis manager for an oil company. Land Man is set to begin production in 2023, per the official press release.
Based on the chart-topping 11-part podcast “Boomtown” from Texas Monthly and Imperative Entertainment, Land Man is set in the rugged West Texas boomtowns where billionaires are seeking a fortune in the world of oil rigs. Paramount+ describes the series as "an upstairs/downstairs story of roughnecks and wildcat billionaires that are fueling a boom so big it’s reshaping our climate, our economy, and our geopolitics."
In addition to Sheridan, the Land Man television series will be executive produced by David C. Glasser, Ron Burkle, Bob Yari, David Hutkin, Geyer Kosinski, Dan Friedkin, Jason Hoch, Scott Brown, and Megan Creydt. Glasser, who is the CEO of 101 Studios, said he felt like he was in a “privileged position” to work with the cast and crew that he truly admires. He added, “With Land Man, Taylor developed it with Billy Bob in mind, and we were thrilled when he came on board. He is not only one of the greatest actors of our generation but also a true creative partner.”
Sheridan likes to write his TV shows like a novel and says that the streamer gives him the creative freedom to produce the content he wants to. Sheridan has said, "Paramount trusts me and gives me the time to go shoot 10 to 14 days for a television episode, we can treat it like a movie, and it looks like a movie. We can take the time to rehearse it and light it and build these set pieces. And if I call them and say, I need two helicopters in one day, they just go, all right.”
Land Man Developed With 'Billy Bob in Mind'
Thornton has also weighed in on the announcement. “It’s about the world of the oil business that we generally don’t see,” Thornton said. “When you see writing that good, it really excites you.”
Thornton is an Academy Award-winning writer for Best Adapted Screenplay for Sling Blade, actor, director, and musician. He is known for directing The King of Luck, a documentary about country music legend and longtime friend Willie Nelson. Thornton also appeared Lorne Malvo on the critically acclaimed limited television series Fargo on FX, earning him Golden Globe and Broadcast Television Critics Awards as well as Emmy and SAG Award nominations.
Most recently, Thornton was seen starring in the fourth and final season of Goliath, for which he received a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Drama. He also recently completed production on the action-thriller The Gray Man, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo. The film is set to start a new franchise based on the novel and stars Ryan Gosling, Ana de Armas, Chris Evans, and Dhanush in the lead roles.