YELLOWSTONE Creator Taylor Sheridan to Direct Pilot of 6-Part Spinoff 1883: BASS REEVES Starring David Oyelowo
Taylor Sheridan, the creator of the hugely popular drama series, Yellowstone, has decided to step in to direct the pilot episode of the 6-part spinoff limited series, 1883: Bass Reeves. The series is set to star Emmy-nominated actor David Oyelowo (Nightingale, Selma) as the legendary Wild West lawman.
Oyelowo revealed Sheridan’s new assignment during remarks he made at the dinner held to introduce Paramount+ to 150 members of London’s entertainment community.
Oyelowo also expressed his excitement for the project to Deadline, saying:
“The reality is that [Taylor] is one of the best directors on the planet.”
1883: The Bass Reeves Story “charts the famed lawman’s life from when he was born into enslavement. After the Civil War he escaped his captivity, as Oyelowo explained it, to live in the Indian Territories where he learned the languages and tracking skills that he used when tasked as a deputy marshal to police the territories,” “which were incredibly lawless,” the actor said.
”The mortality rate of being a deputy marshal back then was so high that the fact that he had 3,000 arrests — and a career that spanned into his 60s — these were things that were just unthinkable,” Oyelowo said.
He went on to say, ”For me, it’s definitely a big deal. Especially since twice I went out with it and the entire industry said no to the idea of the story being told.”
Reeves, Oyelowo said, is the historical figure the Lone Ranger was based on. ”But, obviously, white-washing meant that we had a very different character than Bass Reeves actually was.”
This sounds like an awesome project, and it’s got a great story with passionate people involved. Are you looking forward to 1883: Bass Reeves?