Sidney Thompson. History teacher and author’s journey to an iconic Western mini-series.
Yellowstone and 1883. Love it or hate it, the Taylor Sheridan franchise has spurred an interest in the West, both modern and historical. WWHA was privileged to interview Sidney Thompson, author of the Bass Reeves Trilogy, on which Taylor Sheridan based his script for 1883: the Bass Reeves Story. Listen to Sidney, a history teacher at Texas Christian University, talk about his research, writing, and bringing the Bass Reeves story to the public, hungry for more on the Wild West. Paramount+, in conjunction with 101 Studios of Yellowstone and 1883 fame, has agreed to a deal to produce a spinoff mini-series titled Bass Reeves, based on the first two books in Sidney Thompson’s trilogy of historical fiction about the most celebrated lawman of the Old West, a former slave, and fugitive Bass Reeves. Taylor Sheridan will direct the series’ pilot and will star David Oyelowo (Selma) as Bass Reeves.
Thompson will additionally serve as a creative consultant on the series, which has already been greenlighted, to air in the fall of 2023, when the third book in Thompson’s trilogy will also be released.