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Doing a job poorly isn’t edgy; it’s embarrassing. We’ve seen viewers turn off Landman Season 2 more from frustration than boredom. Unlike Yellowstone, where even flawed characters feel competent, Landman seems stuck in a loop of professional incompetence. From oil execs clueless about land deals to a bartender who picks fights, the show is littered with illogical choices that shatter immersion.

Viewers aren’t hating; they’re hopeful, hoping for competence that never materializes. They’re begging for depth and realism. If Landman really wants to earn its stripes in season 2, it needs to respect its characters and its audience by making their jobs believable and their decisions resonant.

Landman Season 2 has a character problem that Yellowstone never did Kelly Reilly in Yellowstone | Credit: Paramount+

In Yellowstone, characters are morally gray but undeniably competent. Rip, John, and Beth get things done even if it’s brutal. But in Landman,...

Taylor Sheridan’s built an empire on chaos and characters who don’t flinch. And his 87% Rotten Tomatoes-rated Mayor of Kingstown proves he knows exactly how to run a crime show with heat and edge. Be it power plays behind prison walls or broken alliances in the streets, Sheridan’s style is tailor-made for expansion.

With CBS now eyeing NCIS: Texas, there’s one clear move: hand it to our guy. He’s already redefined the modern Western and elevated the prison drama. A Texas-set crime procedural with his fingerprints? That could be NCIS like we’ve never seen before.

Wind River proves Taylor Sheridan is the perfect fit to bring NCIS: Texas to life Jeremy Renner and Gil Birmingham star in Taylor Sheridan’s Wind River | Credits: The Weinstein Company

Taylor Sheridan already has the resume. Wind River, his 2017 neo-Western crime thriller, boasts an 87% score on Rotten Tomatoes...

Billy Bob Thornton is sharing a surprising fact about his career.

The 69-year-old Landman actor spoke with Kathy Bates as part of Variety‘s Actors on Actors series, out now.

During their discussion, he revealed how he was almost in her classic film, Misery.

Keep reading to find out more…

“There was a time I went in and read for Rob Reiner for ‘Misery’…I swear to God. Originally, Richard Farnsworth, who played the sheriff, had a deputy. I saw Rob Reiner for it. And Rob said right in the room, ‘You’re the guy. We can send everybody else home.’ I was very excited,” he said.

“And I got a call from Rob Reiner — not many directors would do this — he called me and he said, ‘Listen, I’ve been looking at the script and been planning out what I’m going to do with this movie.’ He said,...

Taylor Sheridan may be the mastermind behind the Yellowstone universe, but according to Landman star Billy Bob Thornton, he’s not exactly working off a blueprint when it comes to his latest hit series. In a wide-ranging Variety“ Actors on Actors” interview with Kathy Bates, Thornton revealed that Sheridan prefers to follow the story as it unfolds — and doesn't necessarily know the ending when he starts writing.

“When Sheridan starts writing, he’s not necessarily sure where it’s going to go. He lets the characters and the story take him when he’s gonna write it.”

That kind of storytelling, Thornton said, makes Landman feel uniquely alive. The popular drama, set in the rough and tumble world of West Texas oil deals, debuted in 2024 and quickly became another buzzy installment in the Sheridan TV universe. Thornton stars as Tommy Norris, a fixer who straddles the line between ruthless corporate interest and personal redemption.

Billy Bob Thornton was almost cast alongside Kathy Bates in her Oscar-winning “Misery” role, something that Bates was unaware of until she sat down with Thornton for their Variety Actors on Actors interview.

“I swear to God. Originally, Richard Farnsworth, who played the sheriff, had a deputy. I saw Rob Reiner for it. And Rob said right in the room, ‘You’re the guy. We can send everybody else home.'”

But as the production went forward, the project evolved.

“I was very excited. And I got a call from Rob Reiner — not many directors would do this — he called me and he said, ‘Listen, I’ve been looking at the script and been planning out what I’m going to do with this movie.’ He said, ‘You can come up here and shoot this for the money or the insurance or whatever you need, but I’m just telling you,...

Despite Taylor Sheridan’s growing empire of Yellowstone spin-offs and standalone dramas, not everything with his name on it is striking oil. Landman, the West Texas-set oil industry drama starring Billy Bob Thornton, is seeing a significant drop in its streaming performance. According to FlixPatrol, the series has now fallen to #17 on Paramount+ in the United States—marking its lowest placement since its series debut. That’s a sharp drop for a show that premiered with considerable buzz and a big-name cast, and the timing couldn’t be more awkward: Landman is currently in production on Season 2, with major updates and cast additions rolling in over the last few weeks.

Landman had all the markings of a Sheridan hit when it debuted in late 2024. Thornton’s gruff performance as oil company fixer Tommy Norris gave the series a weighty emotional anchor, while supporting performances from Ali Larter, Demi Moore, and...

It’s been quite a year for Kathy Bates and Billy Bob Thornton, who both lead hit shows. Bates stars in CBS’ “Matlock,” a reimagining of the ’80s drama, playing a scheming attorney who hides her true identity from her colleagues to obtain justice for her daughter. Meanwhile, Thornton transforms into the chain-smoking, ruthless oil company executive Tommy Norris on Taylor Sheridan’s “Landman” on Paramount+.

While on completely different paths as actors, they’ve known each other for three decades, first teaming up on Mike Nichols’ “Primary Colors,” where Bates tried to learn from the legendary director, and turned to him for advice. “I said, ‘What can you tell me about working with an actor?’” Bates recalls asking Nichols. “And he said, ‘Just love them.’”

But as it turns out, the pair almost met before “Primary Colors” — on the set of Bates’ most famous, and Oscar-winning, movie.

Billy Bob Thornton...

Taylor Sheridan may be trading the ranch for the red carpet (Oscar-style). The Yellowstone creator is cooking up a new film that’s already drawing awards buzz, especially now that a major Succession star has boarded the project. The new film’s casting move signals a bold shift, and possibly a big swing at the Academy.

With Ts’s cinematic track record and a powerhouse ensemble shaping up, this could be more than just another modern Western. It might just be his Oscar moment.

Succession’s Juliana Canfield joins Taylor Sheridan’s high-stakes thriller F.A.S.T with Oscar buzz already brewing Juliana Canfield in a still from Succession | Credits: HBO

Taylor Sheridan’s next film F.A.S.T. is coming in hot, and with Juliana Canfield in the lead, it’s already feeling Oscar-worthy. The Succession breakout and Stereophonic Tony nominee has officially joined the Warner Bros. action thriller, snagging the female lead...

The second season of Landman is currently in production in Texas, and actress Ali Larter is sharing some very helpful details about what fans can expect to see when the buzzy Taylor Sheridan drama returns. In a lengthy interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the actress discussed the ins and outs of her portrayal of Angela, the ex-wife of series lead Tommy Norris (Billy Bob Thornton) who decides to reconcile with him and bring their daughter Ainsley (Michelle Randolph) back with her, too. In addition to discussing the grueling audition process and her own views on the character’s much-fussed overt sexuality, Larter shared some insight into what’s next, after that deadly Season 1 finale. Among the new details revealed is the fact that Demi Moore will indeed be returning to her role as Cami, the wife of the now-fallen Monty (Jon Hamm), who died in the finale of heart disease.

Depending on where you are on the political and cultural spectrum, the topic of oil will elicit a different reaction from those in the opposite camp. Seeing it tackled in a TV show likeLandman will also evoke certain feelings, and when the show premiered last year, it was criticized by viewers and experts for its perceived intent to glorify oil production. However, as the season progressed, it became clear that Landman intended to present both sides in its unique fashion. Series star Billy Bob Thornton told Deadline that whatever someone thinks of the show, it's not driven by any one agenda. “I can’t speak for Taylor [Sheridan], but even though it might look like it on the surface, it doesn’t really come from a point of view of someone’s agenda. A lot of people may have had the wrong idea in the beginning because it was like,...

Billy Bob Thornton feels the same way audiences do about some of the shocking things his character, Tommy Norris, hears from his daughter Ainsley (Michelle Randolph) in Landman. Thornton leads Landman's cast as the eponymous fixer for the West Texas oil conglomerate, M-tex.Landman season 1 became a global hit and one of the most-watched series ever on Paramount+, in large part thanks to the show's entertaining Norris family dynamics.

As reported by People, Billy Bob Thornton was joined at the Atx TV Festival in Austin, Texas, by his Landman co-stars, including Michelle Randolph and Ali Larter, who plays Tommy's ex-wife, Angela. Thornton reflected he draws on his experience of being a dad to four kids to play Tommy in Landman, and that he and his fellow actors "did become a family." However, Thornton is also horrified by some of the dialogue between Tommy and Ainsley. Read Billy Bob's...

Ali Larter has played a variety of roles in her nearly 30-year career, but none has compared to Landman. "This is one of the most layered, complicated roles and shows I've ever had a chance to work on," she tells Gold Derby. The role "really has stretched me in every single way."

The latest series cocreated by Taylor Sheridan, Landman stars Billy Bob Thornton as Tommy Norris, the right-hand man for a powerful West Texas oil executive (Jon Hamm). Larter plays Tommy's ex-wife, Angela, who is first introduced during a FaceTime call while vacationing with her new husband. It doesn't take long for her to make her way back to Texas, where she attempts to reconcile with her ex and rebuild a household with their children, Cooper (Jacob Lofland) and Ainsley (Michelle Randolph).

Larter was immediately drawn to working with Sheridan, who "loves his women to be emotional roller coasters.

Landman Season 2 is on a steady pace of production ahead of its November 2025 release window, and the show’s leading star has just pulled back the curtain on one of the most emotional moments from Season 1. Starring in the lead role of Tommy Norris in Landman is Billy Bob Thornton, who takes over the President of M-Tex job from Monty Miller (Jon Hamm) after he dies at the end of Season 1. While he’s still in the hospital before he passes, Tommy and Monty are catching up when Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones walks in and delivers an all-time speech. During the Landman panel at the Newport Beach TV Festival last weekend, Thornton spoke about how this cameo came to be and just how shocked he and Hamm were to watch it happen:

"Jon Hamm and I looked at each other, and we were like, 'What?' I mean, it was insanely good.

Ali Larter’s loyalty to Taylor Sheridan might seem admirable on the surface, but after what went down with Kelly Reilly on Yellowstone, it does raise eyebrows. However, Larter brushed off criticism, saying it “doesn’t bother” her, but fans aren’t convinced that kind of blind faith is wise. Sheridan’s track record with female characters has been rocky, and Reilly’s messy fate as Beth Dutton only deepened the concerns.

With Larter jumping into Landman under his creative direction, viewers are wondering if she’s next in line for a character arc that fizzles out or, worse, gets steamrolled by Sheridan’s macho storytelling priorities.

Ali Larter’s loud Landman role was intentional, but Taylor Sheridan’s female arcs still raise eyebrows Ali Larter as Angela in Landman | Credits: Paramount Network

Ali Larter isn’t sweating the backlash. Her loud, glam, high-octane take on Angela Norris in Landman...

Taylor Sheridan is a man who likes to be in control of his babies – that’s of the TV and movie variety, obviously. However, it looks like his extensive list of projects means he can no longer be a continuous presence on all of his upcoming shows, and according to Landman star Ali Larter, the Yellowstone creator is taking a big step back from the oilfield drama.

While Sheridan wrote the series, directed some episodes of Season 1, and had a strong input in the making of Landman’s record-breaking first season, it looks like he won’t be stepping behind the camera for any of Season 2’s episodes, which will instead all be directed by Stephen Kay, who helmed half of the original run. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Larter said:

“[Stephen] is directing all 10 episodes this year. Last year, Michael Friedman directed three; Stephen directed, I think, five; and Taylor directed a couple.

The Landman crew is deep in the oil fields of Texas — or at least, the soundstages and wide-open locations of Fort Worth — and according to Ali Larter, they’re making solid progress. After kicking off production in January, the second season of Taylor Sheridan’s hit Paramount+ drama is officially past the halfway point.

“We’re midway through our second season, which is also five months,” Larter told The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s actually not as hard [as Season 1]. It’s nicer that we started later, in January, because my kids will be out of school and come down to me soon.”

Larter, who plays the inflammatory matriarch Angela Norris opposite Billy Bob Thornton’s Tommy, has been putting in the hours once again, but with the benefit of experience this time around. “We did the work last year so now we’re kind of on our way,” she said, noting that...

When Landman first dropped on Paramount+, not everyone was on board with Angela Norris. Some critics saw her and her daughter Ainsley (Michelle Randolph) as overly glam, overly loud, and a bit too dialed up — but according to Ali Larter, that was all part of Taylor Sheridan’s plan. And she’s not about to apologize for it. In fact, she says the show would be unrecognizable if it tried to course-correct based on the early noise.

“There’s good press and bad press,” Larter told The Hollywood Reporter. “That’s challenging. I try to keep myself at arm’s length from that and stay with the work. This is Taylor’s baby. Anytime I would take my foot off the pedal, Taylor was on step. He wants [Angela] loud and emotional, like a tornado of energy.”

Larter said the beauty of Angela lies in her layers — something Sheridan and...

It looks like Landman Season 2 is shaking things up behind the scenes — and yes, this time it’s Taylor Sheridan taking a step back. While Sheridan wrote and directed key episodes of the Paramount+ oil drama’s first season, star Ali Larter just confirmed that the show’s architect won’t be directing any of the new season’s ten episodes. Instead, that job falls entirely to Stephen Kay, a YellowstoneandMayor of Kingstown veteran who directed several episodes last season, as Larter revealed in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter — however, Larter noted that she expected Sheridan to direct her scenes personally as he had done during the first season of the hit show.

“[Stephen] is directing all 10 episodes this year. Last year, Michael Friedman directed three; Stephen directed, I think, five; and Taylor directed a couple. That being said, Taylor would come in and direct all my stuff because...

When Landman first premiered on Paramount+, some viewers weren’t quite sure what to make of Angela Norris. Introduced via FaceTime as the flashy, foul-mouthed, high-kicking ex-wife of Billy Bob Thornton’s Tommy, the character caught attention—and stirred controversy. But according to Ali Larter, who plays Angela, that reaction was part of creator Taylor Sheridan’s plan all along.

“Taylor wanted her loud and emotional, like a tornado of energy,” Larter told The Hollywood Reporter. “Anytime I would take my foot off the pedal, Taylor was on step. He wants them big and bold.”

Larter said Sheridan's direction challenged her to push boundaries, even in the face of early criticism that Angela was being objectified. Rather than shy away, Larter leaned in. “Objectify me. C’mon,” she laughed. “Nobody’s putting me in a position that I’m not comfortable being in… What’s more uncomfortable is that...

Ali Larter is known for her role as Angela Norris in Landman, another successful series from the brilliant Taylor Sheridan. While she plays the feisty and strong-willed wife to Billy Bob Thornton’s Tommy Norris, another female character gets an elevated role.

Demi Moore plays Cami Miller, although her appearance in the series left fans scratching their heads because she did not have much to do in the first season. Why cast an award-winning actress if you’re not going to maximize her talent?

A major confrontation is set to happen between Ali Larter and Demi Moore in Landman Season 2 Ali Larter in Landman / Credits: Paramount+

Ali Larter spoke about the upcoming Landman Season 2 with The Hollywood Reporter and revealed that she’s excited for her scene with Demi Moore. Praising her co-star, the 49-year-old former model said:

She’s amazing. Such an icon. She’s so beautiful. She comes in and out,...

Ali Larter is bringing real heart to her role in Landman, and it turns out the secret sauce is a personal touch straight from Taylor Sheridan’s home life. Larter revealed that the most likable part of her character, Angela, is actually based on Sheridan’s wife, Nicole. That grounded, no-nonsense charm – that’s all Nicole.

It gave Larter a fresh way into the role, making Angela more than just a tough oil town woman. It’s a rare peek into how Ts blends real-world inspiration into his scripts to shape characters that feel lived-in and genuinely human.

Angela’s heart came from home: Taylor Sheridan’s wife inspired Ali Larter’s most grounded storyline Ali Larter as Angela in Landman | Credits: Paramount Network

As was reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Ali Larter revealed that the “best part” of Angela is inspired by Landman creator Taylor Sheridan’s wife, Nicole,...

Ever since Taylor Sheridan's latest hit Paramount+ series Landman scored a season 2 renewal earlier this year, fans have been waiting impatiently for updates about what to expect from the next chapter. Thankfully, filming is currently in progress on season 2 in Texas, and in a new interview from series star Ali Larter, we just learned an update on production and a tease about what to expect.

Landman season 2 halfway finished filming

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter about her role as Angela Norris in Landman, Ali Larter revealed that the cast and crew are "midway" through filming season 2. Just like the first season, filming will take five months total, per Larter. The actress shared that getting back to work for season 2 hasn't been as challenging since they have gotten to know the tone, characters, and workflow:

"We did the work last year so now we’re kind of on our way.

If you’d told us ten years ago that Ali Larter, the same actress who once spooned whipped cream off her body in Varsity Blues, would end up as the moral backbone of a show about oil tycoons in Texas, we might have offered you a side-eye and an aspirin. But here we are.

Larter, firmly planted on Taylor Sheridan’s ever-expanding turf, is filming Landman Season 2 in Fort Worth, Texas. Yes, she’s stepping back into her character Angela Norris’ stiletto heels, a role critics once blasted as reductive and hyper-sexualized. Well, Sheridan saw that coming from a mile away, apparently.

Criticism? Taylor Sheridan called that play before it happened? Michelle Randolph, Ali Larter, and Billy Bob Thornton in Landman | Credits: Paramount+

Let’s get one thing straight: Angela Norris is not some bougie, Botoxed side dish to Billy Bob Thornton’s Tommy. She’s a full-course meal served...

Ali Larter is currently in the middle of shooting Landman season two, which landed her on set in Fort Worth, Texas for about five months. Around the start of the pandemic, Larter and husband Hayes MacArthur relocated themselves and their two young children to a small town in Idaho and they never returned to Los Angeles. She spends her days off flying back for parent-teacher conferences and is now looking forward to welcoming her family down to Texas once school is out.

But when Larter steps onto Taylor Sheridan’s set, the mother of two morphs into Angela Norris. Angela, also a mother to two older children played by Michelle Randolph and Jacob Lofland in the hit Paramount+ oil drama, is the feisty, spitfire wife of landman Tommy Norris, played by her scene partner Billy Bob Thornton. Viewers first met Larter’s Angela on a FaceTime screen and since that brief introduction,...

Billy Bob Thornton and Ali Larter explain why their characters' tumultuous love story works in Landman. Thornton leads Landman as Tommy Norris, the eponymous fixer for the M-tex oil conglomerate based in West Texas. In Landman season 1, Tommy's ex-wife, Angela (Ali Larter), re-enters his life to reignite their marriage, along with reforging their family consisting of teenage daughter Ainsley (Michelle Randoph) and prodigal son, Cooper (Jacob Lofland).

Billy Bob Thornton and Ali Larter appeared at Newport Beach TV Fest's Landman - Outstanding Drama Series panel with their co-stars Jacob Lofland and Andy Garcia. When asked about how they play a couple with the ups and downs of Tommy and Angela, Larter and Thornton discussed their preparation to portray Landman's central couple, and that, no matter what, Angela and Tommy love each other. Read their quotes below:

Ali Larter: We had all ten episodes before we started filming, so we knew the journey of these characters,...

Billy Bob Thornton shared his humorous reaction to Taylor Sheridan casting him in Landman. Thornton is Landman's series lead as Tommy Norris, the titular fixer for West Texas' M-tex Oil corporation. The Norris family also filled out the Landman season 1's cast, with Ali Larter as Angela, Michelle Randolph as Ainsley, and Jacob Lofland as Cooper. A massive global hit for Paramount+, Landman season 2 is in production to premiere in November 2025.

Billy Bob Thornton joined his co-stars Ali Larter, Jacob Lofland, and Andy Garcia at Newport Beach TV Fest’s Landman - Outstanding Drama Series panel. Thornton shared his story about being cast in the oil drama, saying about his initial response to the script, “I like this. I like it very much.” Thornton described how his role as Jim Courtright in Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone prequel, 1883, led to his casting. Read Thornton’s full comment below:

Taylor called me,...

Ali Larter spilling a little tea on Landman Season 2 got us thinking whether Taylor Sheridan might be turning over a new leaf. It sounds like he’s actually listened to all those whispers (and shouts!) about Yellowstone‘s, well, let’s just say “adventures in storytelling.” Remember how Yellowstone sometimes felt like it was just making it up as it went along, with plots that vanished faster than a free ranch hand at quitting time?

Larter’s comments give us a glimmer of hope that Landman could be tighter, more focused, and actually wrap things up. Maybe Ts has learned his lesson and is ready to give us a show that’s less “huh?” and more “heck yeah!”

Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone lessons? Ali Larter hints at tighter Landman arcs Ali Larter as Angela in Landman | Credits: Paramount Network

Ali Larter’s chatter about Landman Season 2 is sparking whispers that...

Landman Season 2 production is firing on all cylinders right now ahead of its looming release later this year, and one of the show’s younger stars has shared an interesting detail about the first season. Starring in the role of Cooper Norris in Landman is Jacob Lofland. Cooper is Tommy’s son, who is driven to become a Landman in his own right, like his father, but he will carve out his own path to do it. Cooper watches Armando (Michael Peña) die in the first episode during an oil rig explosion, and during a recent interview with ScreenRant at the Newport Beach TV Festival, he confirmed a frightening detail about this scene (and subsequent rig explosions) that adds new context to the incidents:

"We had a week of roughneck camp to get comfortable with the wells and rigs we were working on. By the way, it’s all real.

Landmanstar Billy Bob Thornton promises another fan-favorite star will have far more screen time in Season 2.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter during an Emmy FYC event, Thornton played up things to come in the second season of Landman on Paramount+. "We love the people we work with and so we're proud for everybody involved," Thornton said before talking about some of the show's other stars, including Andy Garcia. "He'll be more of a part of it this year for sure," Thornton said of Garcia's cartel boss Galino.

"Andy and I go way back too, first time working together though," Thornton added. The Landman star also opened up about his own initial reaction the script for the series' upcoming second season. "I loved it. Taylor [Sheridan] knows this show very well, he’s got a vision for it so it’s pretty easy. I didn't expect to read it and go,...

Billy Bob Thornton is still soaking up the overwhelming response to his “international hit” show Landman, saying he is often “afraid” to read reviews, but his wife likes to keep tabs on his press and help keep him informed, whether he likes it or not!

In an interview with Gold Derby prior to an FYC screening at the Saban Media Center in North Hollywood on Sunday, Thornton, who plays Texas oil landman Tommy Norris, talked about the show’s overnight success.

“It was pretty quick,” he said. We thought it was going to be big, but like, in Middle America. We didn’t know it was going to be an international hit. We had no idea. So that’s always a nice surprise,” he said of Paramount+ drama series, written and directed by Taylor Sheridan, the highly revered Hollywood heavyweight behind the Yellowstone franchise, known for his exceptional writing and roster of complex characters.

With Heroes: Eclipsed officially in the works, longtime fans of NBC’s genre-defining superhero series Heroes are wondering if any of the original cast might make a return. For Ali Larter, who played several of the show’s most iconic and mysterious roles — including Niki Sanders, Jessica, and Tracy Strauss — the idea of revisiting Heroes comes with mixed emotions. At the Newport Beach TV Festival, Larter spoke to Collider’s Aidan Kelley about her current success in Landman and whether she’d be interested in returning to the franchise that helped launch her into pop culture immortality.

“I have not heard that. I think they tried it a second time, but it didn’t quite click. The first season, I think, will always be one of the best seasons of TV. It was really special. It was powerful. It was kind of one of those magical moments.”

That “second time,...

Landman star Jacob Lofland explained that season 1’s oil rig stunts are as real as they appear. Taylor Sheridan’s West Texas-based oil drama premiered in November 2024, introducing Billy Bob Thornton as M-tex Oil’s fixer, Tommy Norris. Lofland plays Tommy’s son, Cooper, who took after his father and worked in the West Texas oil patches in Landman season 1. Cooper takes on harrowing work hands-on, making for some of Landman season 1’s most shocking moments.

Lofland joined his co-stars Billy Bob Thornton, Ali Larter, and Andy Garcia at Newport Beach TV Fest’s Landman - Outstanding Drama Series panel. Lofland explained that the actors attended “a week of roughneck camp” to become accustomed to the equipment they were working on, adding, “By the way, it’s all real. No green screen.”Lofland credited Landman’s stunt coordinator, saying that he felt safe the entire time that he was “up...

Taylor Sheridan continues his reign at Paramount+ as the modern western maestro. The first season of his oil-driller drama, Landman, ended with an explosive finale that found Monty dying from a heart attack, leaving the future of M-Tex in the hands of Tommy, who likely will not want to become CEO but lead the company in some other way. The stage is set for season 2, which began its production this past April and we’re expecting it to premiere a year after season one sometime this November.

Billy Bob Thornton spoke with The Hollywood Reporter at an Emmy FYC event for the show on Sunday, where he revealed, “We knew it was going to be successful — we didn’t know it was going to be this successful. It’s amazing, we’re so proud. We love the people we work with and so we’re proud for everybody involved.” The...

With production fully firing down in West Texas, Landman star Ali Larter is pulling back the curtain on her character Angela Norris — the brash, big personality ex-wife of Billy Bob Thornton’s Tommy Norris — and why Season 2 will be louder, sexier, and even more emotionally explosive than what came before. Angela may have started as a voice on a FaceTime call — all attitude and acrylics — but by the end of Season 1, she’d charged into Midland like a Category 5 storm.

Now, according to Larter, she’s even more layered, more complicated, and more fun to play, as she told Collider's Aidan Kelley at the Newport Beach TV Festival.

“We do. People keep asking us about the chemistry and all that. For actors like you definitely have to find it if you don't have it, but when you naturally do and then you put the time into the work, it's just super magic.

If you thought Landman was a two-season detour into Taylor Sheridan’s ever-expanding universe of cowboy capitalism and combustible power struggles — think again. According to series star Billy Bob Thornton, the hit Paramount+ drama isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Speaking exclusively with Collider’s Aidan Kelley at the Newport Beach TV Festival, Thornton shared his perspective on the future of Landman, confirming that there are long-term plans in place for the series to dig deep — and keep drilling. Thornton said when asked if Landman was designed to run for multiple seasons:

“That's the intention. The intention is for this to go for quite a while. Yeah. So we'll see… if this season is as successful as the first one and, you know, so on and so on down the road, I'm sure they'll keep us around.”

Given Landman’s record-breaking debut and the instant buzz it generated around its West Texas oil drama,...

Billy Bob Thornton explains Jon Hamm's shocking character fate in Landman season 1 was "pre-planned." Hamm played Monty Miller, the CEO of M-tex, the oil conglomerate that employed Billy Bob Thornton's character, Tommy Norris, in Landman. Monty is hospitalized after suffering a heart attack, and he dies after an unsuccessful heart transplant. Given Jon Hamm's high profile, the sudden death of his Landman character was unexpected.

Billy Bob Thornton joined his co-stars Ali Larter, Jacob Lofland, and Andy Garcia at Newport Beach TV Fest's Landman - Outstanding Drama Series panel. Answering a fan question about what happened to Jon Hamm's Monty, Thornton revealed that Miller's death was "a requirement" of the part, even before Landman creator Taylor Sheridan cast Jon Hamm. Read Billy Bob's quote below:

That was pre-planned before Taylor even knew Jon was gonna be playing the part. He needed that for the show. He needed...

“We knew it was going to be successful — we didn’t know it was going to be this successful,” Billy Bob Thornton admits of the reaction to his Paramount+ series Landman. The Taylor Sheridan-created show ranked among the top 10 original streaming series during the fourth quarter of 2024, debuting as Paramount+’s biggest premiere in two years, and continued to gain steam through its finale in January.

“It’s amazing, we’re so proud,” Thornton told The Hollywood Reporter at a Emmy FYC event for the show on Sunday of the show’s reception. “We love the people we work with and so we’re proud for everybody involved.”

The series — set in the world of the Texas oil business — was quickly renewed for a second season and began shooting in April, with Thornton noting they should be wrapped up in August. As for reading where season two is going,...

Production on Landman Season 2 is firing on all cylinders, and Taylor Sheridan’s hit 2024 series has found even more streaming success at a shocking time. Landman has snuck back into the Paramount+ top 10 almost five months removed from the Season 1 finale, sitting at #10 at the time of writing. This is likely a result of the wave of Season 2 news that Sheridan, star Billy Bob Thornton, and others have been dropping about the series as it prepares to return to Paramount+ later this year. Landman was recently unseated on streaming charts by MobLand, the Guy Ritchie-directed crime series starring Tom Hardy and Pierce Brosnan, which is still sitting comfortably at #8 at the time of writing. MobLand is just narrowly ahead of Blue Bloods, which has returned to the top 10 as fans’ excitement for Boston Blue boils over.

It’s safe to say Landman Season 2 is going to look much different than the first season.

According to THR, Michelle Randolph—who’s made a strong impression with standout roles in Taylor Sheridan’s 1923 and Landman—is in talks to star in Malibu, an upcoming horror thriller from Paranormal Activity 2 director Tod Williams.

Not much is known about the project, other than that it’s described as “a thriller skulking around in the subterranean horror subgenre.” The film is expected to shoot later this year. Malibu isn’t the only horror film Randolph has on her slate. She’s also part of the ensemble cast of Scream 7, which is set for a February 27, 2026 release.

As for Landman, production on the second season is well underway. Randolph plays Ainsley, the daughter of Billy Bob Thornton’s character. Created by Taylor Sheridan and Christian Wallace, Landman is “set in the proverbial boomtowns of West Texas and is a modern-day tale of fortune-seeking in the world of oil rigs.

Every so often, a storyteller comes along who doesn’t just spin a good yarn; they plant you right in the thick of it. Taylor Sheridan is one of those rare few. He creates characters who hold a mirror to the raw essence of the American spirit, stripping away the polish to reveal what lies underneath: grit, grief, pride, and purpose.

His stories don’t ask for your attention; they grab you by the collar and pull you in. The character he writes? They’re rough around the edges, tough as old boots, and achingly real. Sheridan is definitely a master craftsman who blends old-fashioned storytelling with a modern sensibility, proving that the Western genre isn’t dead; it’s evolving.

And maybe that’s why so many people love Taylor Sheridan. Let’s explore the long and short of it: why Sheridan’s stories hit home, why his characters stick with us,...

Production on Landman Season 2 is in full swing deep in the heart of Texas, but fans don’t need to wait until 2026 for their next fix. Thanks toAli Larter and Michelle Randolph, the internet is getting a steady stream of heat from the Taylor Sheridan series' set — and social media can’t get enough. It all started last month when Larter, who plays the unapologetically flashy Angela Norris, dropped a behind-the-scenes shot on Instagram. The post sent fans into a frenzy, unofficially kicking off a full-blown content spree that now includes the re-circulation of Larter’s instantly iconic bikini scene from Season 1.

Now, Randolph has dropped an image of her and Larter alongside co-star Jacob Lofland, who plays Cooper Norris, which is interesting — does it mean we'll see them get a bit closer this season? It's the latest glimpse from the second season of the show, which is still in full flow,...

"Landman" season 2 is currently experiencing a concerning journey to completion, but Billy Bob Thornton is confident that it will all work out in the end. What's more, the actor -- who plays oil executive Tommy Norris in Taylor Sheridan and Christian Wallace's Texas-set neo-Western -- hopes to see some storylines receive more focus in the upcoming sophomore outing, which he discussed during a conversation with the Los Angeles Times:

"I would certainly hope that the family dynamic continues and deepens. I would also hope that we explore the weird position that Tommy is in with Andy [Garcia's] character. Is he going home at night feeling guilty and wondering, 'Am I in cahoots with criminals? I guess I am.' How is this going to work out? Tommy isn't dealing with henchmen anymore. He knew how to deal with them. But now he's got a smart guy on the...

One wonders what kind of film Final Destination might have been in quieter, more artful hands: a freely flowing drama, sans judgment, about seven people stepping off a plane because one had a panic attack—the plane exploding shortly after in the background, and the survivors dying in their own way over the course of mere days. It’s a canonically disturbing thought to work through, and that’s precisely where James Wong’s entertaining and surprisingly intelligent franchise-starter holds its big, beating mainstream heart. A campy horror film that treats a colossal, inexplicable turn of fate like a slasher-thriller, Final Destination began as a spec script for an episode of The X-Files, written by Jeffrey Reddick and later adapted into feature format upon studio persuasion. That the decision paid off is clear in our viewing experience—without compromising its pop-culture, trope-laden fabric, it sets itself apart by appealing to the unseen in thrilling,...

One of the many shows in the repertoire of Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan is getting a new series, and a new update from its leading star is sure to excite and concern fans in equal measure. Billy Bob Thornton, who leads Landman as old-school oil man Tommy Norris, has declared his hopes for much more of the show in the future...while revealing something a little worrying about the development of Season 2.

Speaking with Gold Derby recently, Thornton stated that Landman "is a show I'd like to work on for a while. I told Taylor, I said as long as you want me around, I'm here for this. I really love the show. I love doing it, I love playing this character, and I love the people I work with. Not only the cast, but the crew also is just stellar.”

Clearly, Thornton loves working with Sheridan and the cast and crew involved on Landman,...

There’s no other franchise quite like Final Destination. Having spanned three decades, the series has been shockingly consistent. And I’m not talking about how, outside of the newest, they all released within three years of each other. This had a creative consistency you rarely see within the horror genre. The best entries can add extra layers to the mythology, without stepping on the toes of its predecessors. There’s a respect for the past, while still acknowledging that they have to take the series into the modern day. It’s been quite the impressive sight to behold, and I’m so excited that the series is back and as strong as ever!

With the recent success of the sixth entry, we thought it was time to go through this death-defying franchise and rank it. So we rewatched the series to see where all six entries stack up. Hopefully...

It turns out Landman Season 2 is flying a little closer to the oil flame than fans might expect. In a new interview, the show's star and exhausted leading man Billy Bob Thornton revealed that production on the Paramount+ hit is already underway — but the cast and crew have only received half the scripts. That might sound like a red flag for some, but for Thornton, it’s par for the course in the Taylor Sheridan universe. And besides, he’s not worried. We know enough about how Sheridan works to be bothered, by this stage. In fact, he's pretty optimistic about what we can expect from Season 2.

“Last year we had every episode when we started. We do not this year. We’ve only seen about half of it. I can tell you this much. I’m loving this season. The relationships are really growing and gelling — not only as actors,...

It’s been over four months since Landman released its Season 1 finale, and Taylor Sheridan’s hit series is already deep in the weeds on Season 2 production. It was announced shortly after the end of Season 1 that Landman was getting a physical media release, and now Amazon just made it much more affordable for fans to bring the oil fields of West Texas right into their living room.Landman’s 4K Blu-ray and DVD discs are now 33% off on Amazon for a limited time only, and those with a Prime membership can enjoy overnight shipping. The DVD is now priced at $17.31 (down from $25.99), and the Blu-ray is now $24.95 (down from $33.99). It doesn’t say how long this discount will last, so move faster than Tommy Norris (Billy Bob Thornton) racing out to check on one of his rigs.

Landman set records for Paramount+ as the platform’s most-watched new series ever,...

Hayden Panettiere has had her fair share of iconic roles, from the cheerleader in Heroes to the country star in Nashville, and even a fan-favorite return in the Scream franchise. But despite her solid career, there’s one role that still stings, the one that got away.

Panettiere recently revealed she nearly auditioned for Landman, Taylor Sheridan’s gritty oil industry drama that premiered in 2024 and quickly struck gold with its audience with a 78% critics score rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The Texas-based series has become another gem in the so-called Sheridan-verse, and Panettiere, a longtime fan of Sheridan’s work, can’t help but feel a little bummed she missed the chance to saddle up for it. Here is what happened!

Hayden Panettiere regrets passing on a role in Taylor Sheridan’s Landman!

One of Hayden Panettiere’s biggest career regrets doesn’t come from a role she played,...

Although Hayden Panettiere has hardly done badly as an actor, most "Scream," "Heroes," and "Nashville" fans can agree that we'd prefer to see her in more things. That's why it stings a little to find out that she almost auditioned for "Landman," the Texan oil industry drama that was co-created by Taylor Sheridan and debuted in 2024. As Panettiere explained in an interview with Us Weekly:

"There was one audition I was supposed to do for 'Landman.' [My former 'Heroes' costar] Ali Larter's role is what I was reading for, and as much as I wanna work with Taylor Sheridan — who's just genius and, the creation of his characters and their relationships and stuff, he really is a genius — I was like, 'There's no way I am getting this.'"

Panettiere added that she sees this as a mistake and feels she should've just auditioned anyway, just to see what would've happened.

Billy Bob Thornton is set to return as Tommy Norris in Taylor Sheridan's Landman season 2 and may actually play a key role in further developing his celebrated character. Landman is one of Taylor Sheridan's several celebrated Western series streaming exclusively on Paramount+ and has enjoyed critical acclaim in its first season. Thornton leads a strong cast of Landman season 1 along with Demi Moore, Ali Larter, Jacob Lofland, Michelle Randolph, and Kayla Wallace. Sam Elliott has been added to the cast of Landman season 2, which is expected to be released in Fall 2025.

In a recent interview with Awards Radar, Thornton peeled back some of the layers of working with Sheridan in crafting the gritty and charismatic character of Tommy Norris. Sheridan is well-known for writing nearly all of his material and sticking to his script when filming his various television series. Thornton shed light on his creative process with Sheridan on Landman,...