Although Taylor Sheridan now commands the television industry as a one-man army, who reinvented himself as a screenwriter and director, he initially began his career as an actor. Appearing in television series like Sons of Anarchy, Sheridan gradually transitioned to screenwriting and penned critically acclaimed hits like Sicario, Wind River, and more.
Now, Taylor Sheridan is famously known as the mastermind behind the Yellowstone franchise. Redefining the neo-Western genre through his successful series, Sheridan later launched two spin-off prequels 1883 and 1923. But among his many achievements, the one that significantly stands out is his almost record-breaking moment of combining the star powers of Tom Hanks and Harrison Ford in his iconic franchise.
Taylor Sheridan Achieved the Unthinkable with His Yellowstone Spin-Offs
Following Yellowstone’s groundbreaking success, Taylor Sheridan went on to develop two spin-off prequels 1883 and 1923 for Paramount+. Although Sheridan has already planned for further spin-offs, fans are yet to overcome the cinematic brilliance that takes us back to the era of the best Westerns, set in the aftermath of the American Civil War.
However, while fans praise the spin-offs for being a spectacle, there’s something greater that Taylor Sheridan achieved in his spin-off prequels, 1883 and 1923. The showrunner used his reputation and leverage to bring in two of Hollywood’s biggest stars to join the Yellowstone cast. Sheridan brought in Harrison Ford for 1923, whereas 1883 featured a small cameo from Tom Hanks.
According to The Digital Fix, it was rather easy to bring in Harrison Ford, for he was immediately persuaded by the strength of Taylor Sheridan’s pitch and vision. On the other hand, since Tom Hanks had a minor role in the second episode of 1883, that lasted a few seconds, Sheridan succeeded in convincing him to appear in his Yellowstone franchise.
Sheridan Created a Historic Moment with Tom Hanks and Harrison Ford
Tom Hanks, known for his versatility and range in films like Forrest Gump and Cast Away, made a cameo appearance in Taylor Sheridan’s 1883, as Union General George Meade. Meanwhile, Harrison Ford, famously known for his iconic Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises, took on the role of Jacob Dutton, the patriarch of the Dutton family, in 1923.
While we praise the actors for their performance, we cannot overlook how Taylor Sheridan almost broke a Hollywood record. In a groundbreaking move, as Sheridan hired Harrison Ford and Tom Hanks to appear in his Yellowstone prequels, it marked the historic moment where the two legends appeared in the same franchise for the first time.
Given Harrison Ford and Tom Hanks’ status as leading men, no director was ever able to combine their talents for the same movie. Therefore, it became an unspoken Hollywood rule that Ford and Hanks never share the screen or even appear in the same franchise. Previously, the two legends had almost become a part of Star Wars, when Hanks was called to have a cameo in Solo: A Star Wars Story. But it unfortunately never happened.
Therefore, with no previous collaborations, or even working in the same franchise, Tom Hanks and Harrison Ford’s appearance in the Yellowstone prequels came as a historical moment. Although they both appeared in two different spin-offs, it’s a near-win for Sheridan to at least be able to bring them together in the same franchise.
Yellowstone is available on Peacock.
1883 and 1923 are available on Paramount+.
