10 Years Ago Today: A Neo-Western With A 97% Score Made Taylor Sheridan A Star

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Taylor Sheridan has become a true Hollywood titan. As the creator of "Yellowstone" and all of the shows within that universe, not to mention other hits like "Landman," few writers are as valued as he is. But Sheridan's true breakout was a neo-Western movie that came out exactly 10 years ago today. That film was "Hell or High Water."

Boasting a 97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, "Hell or High Water" is one of the best neo-Western movies ever made. It takes the classic Western genre tropes and puts them in the modern day, making for something that feels fresh yet familiar all at once. Sheridan combined those elements and wrapped them all up in a heist film, making for something truly special. It became a defining moment in what has proved to be a monumental career.

The movie centers on two brothers who plan a series of heists against the bank chain that's about to foreclose on their family ranch. A pair of Texas Rangers, including one who's only weeks away from retirement, are hot on their tails. As the siblings plot their final robbery, they must also prepare for one last showdown showdown with these lawmen. The stacked cast includes Chris Pine ("Star Trek"), Ben Foster ("3:10 to Yuma"), and Jeff Bridges ("Iron Man").

Sidney Kimmel Entertainment first bought the script in 2012, then titled "Comancheria." At the time, Deadline credited the deal to "Ex-'Sons of Anarchy' actor Taylor Sheridan. Indeed, Sheridan had left FX's "Sons of Anarchy" and hadn't yet made a name for himself as a writer. That was all about to change.

David Mackenzie ("Starred Up") wound up in the director's chair, though Peter Berg ("Battleship") was originally eyed to tackle the project. In any event, this represented the transition from Taylor Sheridan the actor to Taylor Sheridan the writer. He would also go on to write "Sicario," of-considered Sheridan's best movie, though that actually came out first in 2015. And while that film did well for itself, "Hell or High Water" turned him into a true star.

For one, the movie was made for a shockingly reasonable $12 million budget. Anyone who has seen it can probably tell you that it looks a whole lot better than other movies at that price level. It was also a true word-of-mouth hit, ultimately going on to earn $38 million at the box office. But the financial success, somewhat modest as it was, wasn't the reason why this became a true calling card for Sheridan.

The unconventional Western was nominated for several Oscars, becoming one of the biggest surprises when the 2017 Oscar nominations were announced. The movie garnered four nods, including Best Film Editing, Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor (Jeff Bridges), and Best Picture. It ultimately went home empty-handed, but the nominations alone were enough to bring a lot of extra attention to the film, along with the man who penned its script.

In the years that followed, Sheridan used that cache to get other projects off the ground, including "Wind River," "Sicario: Day of the Soldado," "Without Remorse," and "Those Who Wish Me Dead." But it was in the realm of television where he would make his biggest mark on Hollywood.

In 2018, Paramount Network debuted "Yellowstone," another modern Western that would go on to become one of the biggest series on cable television. Taylor Sheridan's "Yellowstone" franchise now includes several shows, among them "1883," "Marshals," and "Dutton Ranch." His relationship with Paramount also led to other hit shows, including "Mayor of Kingstown."

Indeed, Sheridan became so valuable to Paramount that he is one of the primary reasons lots of people subscribe to Paramount+ in the first place. That's why it was such a big deal when Sheridan decided to leave Paramount for a deal at NBCUniversal, which will pay him a king's ransom. That's all based on his original ideas, not pre-existing IP that he's able to turn into gold. Sheridan is one of the few creators working today who truly generates meaningful IP himself.

Interestingly enough, "Hell or High Water" was supposed to become a TV series at Fox several years ago, but that never came together. Be that as it may, this modest commercial hit paved the way for one of the most consequential Hollywood careers of the last 15 years. Sheridan is a true force to be reckoned with, successfully making the transition from working man's actor to acclaimed screenwriter. Now? He's a straight-up TV titan.

None of that would have been possible, at least not the way it shook out, without the success that "Hell or High Water" enjoyed a decade ago.

You can grab "Hell or High Water" on 4K, Blu-ray, or DVD from Amazon.