Cordoned-off streets, beaming lights, a gaggle of extras — recent sightings of Taylor Sheridan’s The Madison filming in North Texas sent social media into a frenzy. The upcoming series is a spinoff of the Fort Worth native’s hit western Yellowstone, which reached its Season 5 finale on Sunday and has spawned its own universe.
While Sheridan’s name often conjures up images of cowboy culture and the American frontier, there’s someone else who’s not from Texas but has been instrumental in bringing these stories to life.
As CEO of the Beverly Hills-based production company, 101 Studios, David Glasser has teamed up for years with Sheridan on his shows, many of which have filmed in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. In addition to Yellowstone and its spinoffs, their collaborations include the West Texas oil drama Landman and the spy thriller Special Ops: Lioness. Off the screen, Glasser’s studio has joined forces with the Fort Worth Film Commission and Tarrant County College to train college students to be crew members for film and TV productions.
“The Fort Worth Film Commission has been an incredible partner in opening this city up so we can really shoot the shows,” Glasser says. “When we come there, we can say to a lot of people, ‘Hey, shooting here is easy. It’s productive. You get a tax credit, and everybody’s working together.’”
Ahead of the Yellowstone finale, The Dallas Morning News spoke to Glasser about the possible conclusion of the series, working with Sheridan as an executive producer and the popularity of his shows. The following conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
At what point did you realize Yellowstone was going to lead to its own universe?
Taylor always talked about the backstory of Yellowstone. It was always in his mind. Because when he created a show, he knew how the characters got there.
What do you think makes you work well together?
I understand his creative pen. I always say his superpower is in his pen and directing. When you have something that moves the volume that he does, you have to be able to move so fast and create. My job is to make sure that the network and the publicity and the strategy and the path and the deals — the cast he wants — my job is to figure out how to go get them for him. So, it makes it a great partnership.
It’s a feat to have several shows running concurrently, at a time when the industry is contracting and still recovering from the double strikes.
When you get something on paper that comes from Taylor Sheridan, everybody wants to make it. And you look at the ratings right now on Landman or Lioness or Yellowstone, the proof is in the pudding. When 13 plus million people are watching Landman or 17, 18 million people are watching Yellowstone.
You’re right, but the opportunity is there. And so how do you take that opportunity to turn it into something?
What do you think is behind the allure and appeal of Yellowstone?
At the core, it’s about family and what you would do to protect your family.
How are you feeling about the finale on Sunday?
A lot of people have asked me that recently. It’s been a long journey. The show went through the strike, it went through COVID, it went through so many things. We shoot in a very remote place. We’ve all become a big family. So, in one sense, the show, it was the right time for where the story went. It’s a bit bittersweet, but it’s magical. It’s right where it needs to be.
The question looming over the finale is what will happen to the ranch.
I’ll say this because I don’t want to give away anything. You’ll have to see the last episode to understand how it all comes together. When you see the last episode of the show, you’ll understand exactly what it is.
What was your reaction to seeing it?
It was exactly what Taylor told me was going to happen the day we started. He knew how it was going to end.
Is this the end of Yellowstone? Deadline reported on a possible spinoff about Beth and Rip.