'Yellowstone' Creator and Sylvester Stallone's New Show: What We Know
Sylvester Stallone has finally agreed to star in a television show, and it has some incredible pedigree behind it. The Rocky legend has signed on to Kansas City, the next series from Yellowstone co-creator Taylor Sheridan. The series was co-created by Boardwalk Empire creator Terence Winter, who earned an Oscar nomination for writing The Wolf of Wall Street. Kansas City, which came together incredibly fast, will be released on Paramount+.
Stallone, 75, has been making movies for 50 years but has only made a handful of television appearances during his career. He guest-starred in episodes of Dream On, Kojak, and Las Vegas, and most recently played himself on This Is Us. Kansas City is the first time he will play a major role in a scripted series. He is also an executive producer on the project, which will be produced by 101 Studios and MTV Entertainment Studios.
Kansas City will star Stallone as a New York City Italian mobster named Sal who moves to Kansas City, Missouri. He tries to establish himself there but finds the culture to be very different from New York City. He also meeds a surprising group of characters who join him on his path to power. Stallone, Winter, and Sheridan are all executive producers, alongside Balboa Productions' Braden Aftergood and David C. Glasser, Ron Burkle, and Bob Yari of 101 Studios. Winter is the showrunner and has already staffed his writers' room.
"Taylor is a prolific creator because of the multi-dimensional characters he creates and the complex worlds he builds," 101 Studios CEO David Glasser said in a statement to Deadline. "To be able to have the legendary, transcendent Sylvester playing one of these characters is truly a privilege. And on top of that, we have Terence producing the project with us, who is responsible for some of the most captivating, deeply respected television shows in history. We are thrilled that ViacomCBS has partnered with us to help tell this story."
In a Dec. 17 interview with Deadline, Glasser said Kansas City came together faster than usual. He called Sheridan on a Friday to tell him he wanted to work with Stallone. Since he always wanted to adapt Mario Puzo's Omerta, Glasser suggested a Goodfellas-style project with Stallone. "Then, on the spot, he proceeds to spend 45 minutes pitching me a story that he just created in his head. This is Friday at 3 p.m. It is a great story, and nothing is written down. By Sunday afternoon, he handed me the pilot. I couldn't believe it," Glasser said. By the time they brought the idea to the network on a Monday, Stallone was already attached and a script was done.
It's not clear when production on Kansas City will begin. In the meantime, Stallone's fans have a few movies to look forward to in 2022. He is now working on The Expendables 4, which is scheduled for release next year. He also stars in Samaritan, which is based on the Mythos Comics series and is scheduled to open on Aug. 26, 2022. Stallone also reprised his role as Starhawk/Stakar Ogord in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3, which opens in 2023.
Sheridan is an Oscar-nominated writer whose movie credits include Hell or High Water, Wind River, and Sicario. He created Paramount Network's Yellowstone with John Linson and its upcoming prequel series, 1883. Sheridan also created the Jeremy Renner-starring Mayor of Kingstown for Paramount+. Before he turned to writing and directing, Sheridan acted on Veronica Mars and Sons of Anarchy.