The True Story Behind Paramount’s Landman
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3 hours ago
This explosive new series is Paramount's most successful original series debut
After the conclusion of Yellowstone, it’s clear Taylor Sheridan has no intention of slowing down. Is Landman a worthy replacement for his western ranching drama while we await a new spin-off? Starring the likes of Billy Bob Thornton, Demi Moore and Jon Hamm, we certainly think so. But where does Sheridan source his seemingly-endless inspiration? This time, reality.
Billy Bob Thornton as Tommy Norris and Ali Larter as Angela Norris in Landman streaming on Paramount+. (© James Minchin/Paramount+)
Is Landman Based On A True Story?
Yes, Landman is based on the very real Texas oil boom that commenced in the 1920s and still dictates the US economy and politics today. In particular, Landman is based on Texas Monthly’s 2019 podcast Boomtown, a 10-episode deep dive into ‘the rugged Permian Basin of West Texas, where roughnecks and billionaire wildcatters are fueling a boom so big it’s reshaping our climate, our economy, and our geopolitics’ – narrated by west Texas native and former oil roughneck Christian Wallace.
The Permian Basin is a huge oil field in west Texas, stretching close to the Mexican border and spilling into southeastern New Mexico. Massive reserves here were discovered in the early 20th century, transforming Texas – and Houston in particular – from a rural state to a metropolis booming with industry. Flash forward to the 2020s, and there has been no slowing down: the Permian Basin remains the highest producing oil field in the US, producing a whopping 4.2 million barrels of oil every day in 2019. But, as Texas Monthly explains in its Boomtown podcast trailer, ‘This is a story bigger than Texas: the Permian basin is the epicentre for oil and gas production in the free world, reshaping our climate, our economy, and our geopolitics.’
Across 12 episodes, Boomtown traces the history of the Permian Basin – and its rise to being the most productive oilfield in the world. While Landman takes Boomtown as its inspirational spark – and was co-created by Boomtown’s host Wallace with fellow Texan Sheridan – the story we see play out on screen also has fictional elements.
Billy Bob Thornton as Tommy Norris in season 1, episode 3 of Landman streaming on Paramount+. (© Emerson Miller/Paramount+)
Is Tommy Norris A Real Man?
No, Tommy Norris (played by Billy Bob Thornton) is not a real man, but a fictional character created by Sheridan for his TV series Landman. Across 10 episodes, we see Tommy grapple to secure land and manage his crew on their independent oil patch in the Permian Basin.
WATCH
All 10 episodes of Landman are streaming now on Paramount+.
