Taylor Sheridan is preparing to tackle his biggest project to-date. The "Yellowstone" mastermind will write and direct an adaptation of "Empire of the Summer Moon," a historical account of the 40-year struggle between fierce Comanche warriors and white settlers to control the American west.
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Sheridan and his Bosque Ranch Productions won the rights to the book after an aggressive bidding war, Deadline reported on Jan. 18. A film adaptation was previously set up at Warner Brothers for Derek Cianfrance ("Blue Valentine") to direct, but it's remained a passion project for Sheridan for years. Now, "Empire of the Summer Moon" author S.C. Gwynne says he "can't think of anyone better qualified" to bring the book to the screen than Sheridan.
"Empire of the Summer Moon" is an epic tome about the rise and fall of the Comanche tribe, with a special focus on its last and greatest chief, Quanah, the mixed-blood son of pioneer woman Cynthia Ann Parker. Under Quanah, Comanche braves raided the Texas Panhandle and halted white settlers from invading their tribal lands. The warfare led to the creation of the Texas Rangers.
Sheridan has a host of other projects on the docket—the "Yellowstone" series finale, "1923" Season 2 and the new "Land Man" series among them—but "Empire of the Summer Moon" is something special. The Four Sixes Ranch, which Sheridan co-owns, has legendary ties to Quanah. The Comanche chief allegedly told Burk Burnett, his friend and the ranch's founder, exactly where to build the Four Sixes in 1870. The story goes that Quanah killed a deer on the property, and the antlers still hang over the stone fireplace in the main living room.
There's no word yet on whether the project will be a feature film or a TV series. Here's what we know so far about Taylor Sheridan's "Empire of the Summer Moon" adaptation, from the bestselling source text to the "terrifying visual" Sheridan will no doubt want to dramatize on screen.
Is 'Empire of the Summer Moon' Based on a Book?
(Scribner)
The project is based on S.C. Gwynne's 2010 nonfiction book "Empire of the Summer Moon:
"I can't think of anyone better qualified to bring 'Empire of the Summer Moon' to the screen than Taylor Sheridan," Gwynne said in a statement. "He has a deep and nuanced understanding of both the myth and reality of the Old West. I am thrilled that he is undertaking this project."
What's the Plot of 'Empire of the Summer Moon'?
"Empire of the Summer Moon," the book, traces the rise and fall of the Comanche tribe, whose legendary fighting ability halted westward expansion for 40 years. Considered the greatest horsemen who ever rode, Comanche braves stopped both the Spanish and the French from invading their lands, and the Texas Rangers were established specifically to go up against Comanche warriors on the frontier.
Against that backdrop, "Empire of the Summer Moon" zeroes in on Quanah, the last and greatest Comanche chief whose guerrilla tactics against white settlers in the Texas Panhandle made him a legend. Quanah was the mixed-blood son of Cynthia Ann Parker, a pioneer woman kidnapped by the Comanches at 9 years old. She grew to love her captors and became infamous as the "White Squaw" who refused to return until her tragic capture by Texas Rangers in 1860.
Sheridan has kept mum on the details of his adaptation, but he briefly discussed "Empire of the Summer Moon" in a recent appearance on Joe Rogan's podcast. (Rogan had previously had the author, S.C. Gwynne, on the pod.) Sheridan brought up one "terrifying visual" from the book: While raiding Galveston, Comanche warriors encountered and adopted ladies' parasols to keep the blazing sun off their backs.
"When they rode off, there's thousands of Comanche warriors with parasols of all these different colors," Sheridan told Rogan.
Will It Be a Film or TV Series?
It's unclear whether the project will be a feature film, a limited series epic (like Sheridan's "1883") or an ongoing TV series with multiple seasons (like "Yellowstone"). Given the scope of the book, "Empire of the Summer Moon" could also take the form of a film series — much like Kevin Costner's self-funded "Horizon" saga, which will hit theaters in chapters starting this summer.
'Empire of the Summer Moon' Cast
Taylor Sheridan and Mo Brings Plenty. (Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images for Paramount)
There's no news yet on the casting front, but Sheridan has historically worked with some of the same actors across projects. Native actors Gil Birmingham ("Yellowstone," "Wind River") and Mo Brings Plenty ("Yellowstone," "1923," "Lawmen: Bass Reeves") are among Sheridan's frequent collaborators we'd love to see in "Empire of the Summer Moon."
In a Jan. 2024 interview with Wide Open Country, Brings Plenty expressed his desire to continue acting in Sheridan's projects. He also serves as the Native American affairs coordinator for the broader "Yellowstone" universe, working with tribal leadership to ensure accurate depictions across Sheridan's Paramount+ shows.
"I would love to remain in the Sheridan realm because everything is brilliantly written, and factual in a lot of cases," Brings Plenty told us, adding that he'd welcome the chance to spar with Birmingham again, too: "It would be wonderful to work with him in another project down the road, once 'Yellowstone' comes to an end."
'Empire of the Summer Moon' Release Date
"Empire of the Summer Moon" is still in the early stages of development. It is not known whether Bosque Ranch Productions will distribute the project through Paramount, like Sheridan's "Yellowstone" titles. If Sheridan finalizes a script and manages to get production underway in 2024 (he is known for meeting impossible deadlines), expect a mid-to-late 2025 release date at the earliest.
Check back here for any updates on Taylor Sheridan's "Empire of the Summer Moon."
