Taylor Sheridan may have earned his name as one of the best writers cum filmmakers of all time, but unfortunately for him, he hasn’t always sported the privilege of getting his work to remain natural and up to his choices, undeterred by others’ opinions. For instance, one of his most personal works had to face a serious change because of the same, as opposed to his wishes.
This work was his fan-favorite and critically appreciated blockbuster Western/crime from 2016, Hell or High Water, and the major change it had to go through was related to the title Sheridan had originally decided for it. However, the mastermind had to agree to change it, all because of a tussle with a marketing executive who didn’t find his version of the name appealing enough.
Hell or High Water Originally Had a Different Name Given by Taylor Sheridan
One of the best projects created by Taylor Sheridan to date, Hell or High Water was a massive success, both with its reviews and its box office earnings. However, it wasn’t always supposed to be that way; especially when it comes to the name of the movie.
According to what the 54-year-old director cum actor shared in an interview with Esquire, his original idea for the film’s title was Comancheria.
For those who may be unversed, a region of New Mexico and nearby areas in west Texas were referred to by this name (also ‘Comanchería’) while they were occupied by the Comanche before the 1860s and “before the white man took over,” as Esquire puts it.
Since Sheridan found it to be perfectly fitting to his story, he had originally named the 2016 movie the same. However, little did he know that the name he had chosen wouldn’t really make it to the name displayed on the big screens with the release of the film.
As per what he revealed, it was changed because a marketing executive didn’t deem it befitting. Sheridan said:
Some twenty-six-year-old marketing executive changed it to Hell or High Water, said Comancheria sounded like a venereal disease. A—hole.
Needless to say, the Yellowstone helmer was anything but satisfied with it, as can be derived from the gracious remark he added for the marketing executive at the last.
But he had no choice either, and the movie went on to be titled Hell or High Water for all official purposes, and pretty much nobody knew that its original name was anything related to the areas in west Texas occupied by the Comanche.
Hell or High Water is Taylor Sheridan’s Most Personal Movie
While he has led multiple other ranch-y Western projects, perhaps none comes as close to Sheridan as this Chris Pine-starrer. If anything, not only was he incredibly invested in this project, but he had a personal encounter with the themes the film is set in as well.
For instance, he started this project after he was done with the script for Sicario and had the first draft of the project done in a mere six days.
Then there was the fact that the 1883 helmer‘s home state itself was plunged into the depths of the Great Recession and widespread drought. That said, Sheridan had way more than just a vague idea of how it all was during that period.
As he recalled during the same interview with Esquire:
It felt like Texas, and our family, were losing a way of life.
Needless to say, these personal feelings and ideas of the situation at the time were what not only made the Ben Foster-led project one of the closest ones to Taylor Sheridan’s heart but also immaculately delivered everything it was expected to, becoming one of his best projects to date.
That said, you can watch Hell or High Water on Prime Video.
