The Jaw-Dropping Cost of Making Yellowstone: Here's How Much Money It Actually Takes

Studios always take the 'spend money to make money' approach to investing in their television shows, resulting in some massive production budgets. Yellowstone is no exception, with mind-boggling production costs that seem to keep going over. According to the Wall Street Journal, that's thanks to creator Taylor Sheridan's lavish spending.

According to WSJ's May 5 report, Yellowstone's first season in 2018 was given a budget of $7 million per episode. (For reference, that's $1-2 million higher than the first season of Game of Thrones, which already had an established fanbase.)

Yellowstone's first season was originally intended to have either ten or eleven episodes, eventually ending with only nine. They still managed to go $20 million over budget because of delays in production and writing.

The show became an overnight hit, leaving Paramount unconcerned about the overages. Executives green-lit increases in budgets, eventually resulting in $12 million per episode budgets in Season 5. Yet still, as was the case five years ago, Sheridan continues to go over budget.

Part of this is due to the starpower, namely in Kevin Costner, which demands a high cost. Part of this is due to Sheridan's tendency to rack up overtime fees and delay scripts.

WSJ also reported that Sheridan spends more than normal on things like catering and animal training; Paramount pays Sheridan for the use of his ranch and livestock, sending the cast to a 'Cowboy Camp' before shoots. They cost in excess of $200,000; an invoice revealed $33,000 of that was for catering.

WSJ labelled his shoots as 'drenched in excess,' but the show's popularity warranted the lavish spending.

As its popularity grew, Sheridan began expanding with several spin-offs. 1883 debuted in December 2021, then 1923 a few months later. Filming for Lawmen: Bass Reeves began last January, and at least three more spin-offs are currently planned.

All together, WSJ reports that Sheridan's many shows cost Paramount $500 million per year.

The prequel 1923, starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren, cost $200 million in its eight-episode first season - coming out to about $500,000 for every single minute.

That's not as uncommon a number as it seems on the surface. According to Collider, Game of Thrones cost $15 million per episode by its final season; each of Disney+'s MCU tie-in series cost about $25 million per episode; Amazon Prime's Lord of the Rings prequel Rings of Power is an obscene $58 million per episode.

But in a grounded, western tale that doesn't warrant widespread CGI and exotic locations, Sheridan's propensity for going far over budget leaves some scratching their heads.

Paramount said that they were cost-conscious, but Sheridan's success has proven it a worthy investment.

Source: Wall Street Journal, Collider.