The spinoff of Taylor Sheridan’sTulsa Kingis facing a major creative hiccup. Announced in June 2024,NOLA Kingis the proposed spinoff of Paramount+’s Sylvester Stallone-led mafia drama. While the series isn’t officially greenlit,NOLA Kingwas supposed to be set up inTulsa Kingseason 3, with its star, Samuel L. Jackson, guest-starring in multiple episodes.
According to a report fromVariety,Dave Erickson is no longer attached to the project asNOLA King’s showrunner. The departure is reportedly due to a scheduling conflict, and the search for a new showrunner is actively underway. Taylor Sheridan is still attached as executive producer, along with David C. Glasser of 101 Studios.
What Dave Erickson’s Departure Means For Tulsa King’s Spinoff
The Showrunner’s Departure Will Rock The Boat
The departure of its showrunner certainly throws a wrench in things forTulsa King’s proposed spinoff series.Erickson is also the showrunner forTulsa Kingseason 3, where Jackson will make his debut. Erickson is undoubtedly the most familiar with the new show and its predecessor, so his absence could impact its momentum and direction.
Erickson is also the showrunner on another Sheridan-verse show, Jeremy Renner’s crime drama,Mayor of Kingstown,which wrapped up filming season 4 in June.Tulsa Kingalso recently wrapped up filming, soErickson is departingNOLA Kingwhile filling his other duties under his deal with MTV Entertainment Studios. BothTulsa KingandMayor of Kingstownare expected this year.
Our Take On Dave Erickson’s NOLA King Departure
Taylor Sheridan Can Find A New Showrunner
I initially felt cautious hearing that Erickson has left theNOLA Kingproject, since he was the showrunner forTulsa Kingseason 3, which would serve as Jackson’s gateway into the series. Still,Erickson only joinedTulsa Kingas recently as its third season. Similarly, Erickson didn’t joinMayor of Kingstownuntil the show’s second installment.
Sheridan has taken an executive role on series like Mayor of Kingstown and Tulsa King, but has found a team of trusted creative individuals to carry the series thereafter. So far, that has worked out.
Taylor Sheridan served as the writer and showrunner for most of theYellowstonefranchise, and takes on those roles for many of his other shows.Sheridan has taken an executive role on series likeMayor of KingstownandTulsa King,but has found a team of trusted creative individuals to carry the series thereafter. So far, that approach has worked out.
Someone else will likely be able to take over the series successfully. At the same time,NOLA Kingstill doesn’t have the green light, so it could be tempting to scrap the spinoff if things fall apart. That said, with Samuel L. Jackson’s character already woven into the story ofTulsa Kingseason 3, hopefully,NOLA Kingpre-production continues.
Tulsa King
Cast
Tulsa King follows New York mafia capo Dwight “The General” Manfredi, who, after 25 years in prison, is exiled to Tulsa, Oklahoma, by his boss. Faced with the possibility of betrayal, he assembles a crew of unlikely characters to establish a criminal empire in unfamiliar territory.
