'Landman' Original Cast Members Score Big Salary Bumps Ahead of Season 2 Production (Exclusive)
Key keywords: Landman, original cast salary bumps, Paramount+, Taylor Sheridan, Billy Bob Thornton, Landman Season 2, 101 Studios, oil industry drama, exclusive entertainment news
Multiple exclusive sources close to the production have confirmed that the entire original main cast of Taylor Sheridan’s hit oil industry drama *Landman* has secured massive salary increases ahead of the start of Season 2 filming, scheduled to kick off in Fort Worth, Texas this fall.
First premiered on Paramount+ in November 2023, *Landman* quickly emerged as the streamer’s most successful original launch of 2024, with its series premiere drawing 12.6 million viewers across linear and streaming platforms in its first three days, and full first-season viewing time surpassing 1.1 billion minutes within 30 days of release. The runaway success of the first season, which follows roughneck-turned-oil executive Tommy Norris navigating the cutthroat Texas energy sector, drove the cast’s renegotiation efforts, with support from production partners 101 Studios and MTV Entertainment Studios.
Leading the pay increases is Academy Award winner Billy Bob Thornton, who will now earn $1.275 million per episode for Season 2, a 72% jump from his $740,000 per episode rate for Season 1. Thornton’s performance as the complex, morally gray Norris has been widely cited by critics and viewers as the core of the show’s appeal, and the new deal also includes a 5% backend profit share for the actor for all *Landman* related content, including international syndication, merchandise, and potential spinoff projects.
Fellow core cast members Ali Larter, Michelle Randolph, Jacob Lofland, and James Jordan have also seen their per-episode pay more than double, with their rates jumping from the $18,000 to $27,000 per episode range for Season 1 to $45,000 to $62,000 per episode for the upcoming second season, plus eligibility for performance-based bonuses if Season 2 viewership exceeds 150% of Season 1’s numbers.
Paramount executives noted in an internal memo obtained by outlets that retaining the original *Landman* cast was a top priority for the 2024-2025 content slate, as the show has driven a 19% increase in new Paramount+ subscriptions in domestic markets since its launch. Negotiations wrapped earlier this week with no holdouts, and all cast members are already confirmed to return for the 10-episode second season, which is set to premiere in early 2025.
Featured Comments
As a huge *Landman* superfan, this pay raise is 100% deserved! The entire cast brought such raw, unfiltered authenticity to the Texas oil field scene, and Billy Bob Thornton’s portrayal of Tommy Norris is easily the best performance of his entire career. I’m so relieved Paramount isn’t cutting corners with random recasts that would ruin the show’s vibe, I’ve already marked my calendar for the Season 2 premiere.
This is such a smart business call from Paramount. *Landman* single-handedly drove nearly 20% of their new domestic subscribers last quarter, and retaining the core cast is the easiest way to guarantee that Season 2 keeps pulling in viewership and subscription renewals. These salary bumps look big on paper, but they’ll pay for themselves 10 times over in revenue, no question.
It’s so refreshing to see cast members get properly compensated for the work that makes a show a hit, instead of all the profit going straight to executives and showrunners. Taylor Sheridan’s production universe has a reputation for treating its cast fairly compared to most other big franchise productions, and that’s exactly why so many A-list actors are lining up to work on his projects these days. Great news for everyone involved.