A new copyright lawsuit alleges that some of Yellowstone’s most recognizable Tribal storylines first appeared in an earlier, unproduced television series.
Lauren Salkin alleges that she spent more than a decade developing Sovereign Nation, a proposed series about Tribal governance, casino-based power, and conflicts over land and development. According to the complaint, she submitted a pilot, show bible, and pitch deck to Taylor Sheridan’s representatives in 2016 and 2017. Yellowstone premiered in 2018.
The alleged similarities include a Tribal casino serving as the center of governmental power; trust status, zoning immunity, and 99-year leases used as development leverage; expansion beyond reservation boundaries; and Gil Birmingham and Danny Huston appearing in parallel roles.
Salkin claims copyright protection for the way she arranged and dramatized those elements. If decided on the merits, the case will resolve whether that’s protectable expression or just shared material for a modern Western.
Read the complaint here.
Turtle Talk 
You must be logged in to post a comment.