Is Landman Based on a True Story? Inside the Oil Boom That Disrupted West Texas and Inspired Taylor Sheridan's New Show

Taylor Sheridan’s TV empire is booming.

His latest project, Landman, starring Billy Bob Thornton and Jon Hamm, premieres November 17 on Paramount+ and is based on the 2019 film. Texas Monthly podcast Boomtown. A 12-episode audio show hosted by Christian Wallace, who also co-created Landman with Sheridan, “takes you to the heart of the historic oil boom that played out in West Texas.”

“Boomtown was a labor of love for all of us who worked on the podcast, and no one could have hosted it more than Christian, a West Texas native with a gritty background and fantastic narrative detail,” said Executive Producer Megan Creydt Texas Monthly in September 2024 “It’s a thrill to see this story and world in Taylor Sheridan’s hands and to know that Christian has been such an integral part of a series that we will all be glued to.”

Landmanwhich joins a long list of Western shows created by Sheridan, led by Thornton, Hamm, Demi Moore, Andy García and Michael Peña.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Paramount+ series Landman and the recent history that inspired it.

Is Landman based on a true story?

Billy Bob Thornton as Tommy Norris in the first season of ‘Landman’.

Emerson Miller/Paramount

Landman is based on Texas Monthly podcast Boomtown. The show, published at the end of 2019, was hosted by the former TM journalist Christian Wallace, who grew up in West Texas and spent a year after college working as a roughneck (an oil rig crew member).

The Great Oil Boom of 2019 prompted Wallace to write the article “The Permian Basin is booming with oil. But at what cost to West Texans?” It struck a chord with readers and eventually turned into a 12-episode podcast.

Boomtown delves into the history of the Permian Basin — located in West Texas and Southeast New Mexico — and how it became one of the most productive oil fields in the world. Wallace also researched the effects of the boom—interviewing hoodlums about the dangers of rig work, ranchers exposed to very strong greenhouse gases, and even Permian high school teachers whose classroom sizes became untenable due to the influx of families. moving to the area.

“I’m out there. I worked out there, so I knew the people and I wanted to tell their story in a way that I’ve never seen or read before,” Wallace told his alma mater Texas State University in May 2022.

As for translating podcasts to television, Boomtown executive producer Creydt told CBS News Texas that viewers are in good hands with Sheridan.

“Taylor Sheridan is a Texan himself. He understands this world very well. I imagine we’ll see a lot of overlap with what [heard] on the podcast,” she said in September 2024.

What is Landman about?

Jon Hamm as Monty Miller and Demi Moore as Cami Miller in the first season of ‘Landman’.

Emerson Miller/Paramount

Located in modern West Texas, Landman follows crisis manager Tommy Norris, played by Thornton, as he tries to secure land and manage his crew in an oil slick in the Permian Basin. Tommy works for Hamm’s character, Monty Miller, an oil industry titan otherwise known as the wild hunter.

“The oil and gas industry makes $3 billion a day in net profit, and it’s only getting bigger. But before any of that money is made, you have to secure the land and then manage the people. That’s my job,” says Tommy in Landmanthe first official trailer.

“The first part is quite simple, it’s the second part that can kill you. Extracting oil from the ground is the most dangerous job in the world,” he adds.

LandmanThe all-star cast also includes Moore as Monty’s wife Cami Miller, Ali Larter as Thornton’s wife, Angela Norris and Peña as Armando, an oil crew worker.

“The cast is great and it was super fun to work on,” Hamm told PEOPLE in March 2024. “It’s a very well-told story, and I think it’s an interesting look at what happens when it comes to how we get the things that it powers our cars and our lives and our airplanes and everything in our modern world.”

Where was he Landman recorded?

Michael Peña as Armando in the first season of ‘Landman’.

Emerson Miller/Paramount

Landman it was mostly shot in the Fort Worth, Texas area. This is also where Sheridan filmed scenes for several of his other TV series, including in 1883, Yellowstone and Attorneys at Law: Bass Reeves.

While shooting Landmanfans spotted Thornton outside several times, according to WFAA. During filming, he reportedly made several visits to the popular Tex-Mex restaurant, Joe T. Garcia’s.

Sheridan needed several background and supporting actors Landmanand Aschten Aguilar, a local West Texan and former roughneck, was among them. He shared on The best of Midland Texas podcast in April 2024 that he brought his real-life experience to the set.

“You can always tell who worked in the oil field by the way they park their truck,” Aguilar said. “It’s instilled in us that you have to take that much time to get out and back in. Your first move has to be forward. It’s instilled in us from the first day you get a work truck. It’s a culture thing.”

Where can I watch Landman?

Michelle Randolph as Ainsley Norris, Ali Larter as Angela Norris and Billy Bob Thornton as Tommy Norris in the first season.

Emerson Miller/Paramount

Landman will be available to stream exclusively on Paramount+.

The first two episodes will air on November 17, followed by one episode per week for the rest of the season.

Will there be a 2nd season Landman?

Colm Feore as Nathan, Kayla Wallace as Rebecca Savage and Billy Bob Thornton as Tommy Norris in the first season.

Emerson Miller/Paramount

While talking to Deadline in May 2024, Moore seemingly confirmed a second season Landman.

“I’ve already finished the first season and I’m excited to start the second one, which will be early next year,” she told the outlet.

Paramount+ has not publicly announced a second season.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education