Billy Bob Thornton to star in Taylor Sheridan drama

Paramount+ has released the trailer for its new drama series “Landman” from “Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan.

The series is based on Christian Wallace's 2019 podcast “Boomtown” and follows Billy Bob Thornton as Tommy Norris, aka “Landman,” who acts as a peacemaker and problem solver in the world of Texas oil rigs. The cast also includes Jon Hamm, Demi Moore, Michelle Randolph, Kayla Wallace, James Jordan, Jacob Lofland and Paulina Chávez.

In the trailer, Thornton is seen speeding through the barren Texas landscape in a dusty white pickup truck, looking for anything and everything that isn't there. “The oil and gas industry makes $3 billion a day in pure profit,” Thornton says in a voiceover. “But before you make that money, you have to secure the land and manage the people. That's my job. The first part is pretty easy, the second part can cost you your life.”

For Thornton, this is his first lead role in a television series since his role as Billy McBride in the Amazon Prime crime drama “Goliath,” which ended in 2021. “Mad Men” star Hamm comes to “Landman” hot off the heels of his role as antagonistic Sheriff Roy Tillman in the fifth season of “Fargo.”

Sheridan's previous western series, Yellowstone, although recently surrounded by controversy surrounding the exit of lead actor Kevin Costner, has been one of Paramount's most popular series since its launch on Paramount Network in 2018. In 2023, the series was nominated for Best Drama Series at the Critics Choice Awards and Costner won Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series at the Golden Globes.

Michael Friedman directs with screenplays by Sheridan and Wallace. Executive producers are Friedman, Sheridan, Wallace, Scott Brown, Ron Burkle, Megan Creydt, Peter Feldman, David Glasser, Jason Hoch, David Hutkin, Geyer Kosinski, JK Nickell, Bob Yari and Dan Friedkin. 101 Studios, MTV Entertainment Studios and Sheridan's Bosque Ranch Productions are producers.

“Landman” is set to be released on November 17. Watch the trailer below.