TV audiences still have plenty of Taylor Sheridan shows to anticipate during the 2025 TV schedule and beyond, from Rip and Beth’s Yellowstone follow-up to the spinoff The Madison to follow-up seasons of Mayor of Kingstown and more. But for those like me who couldn’t wait to see the country music superstar Tim McGraw heading up his first big series after co-leading the Dutton family prequel 1883, there’s now less to look forward to with Netflix's upcoming TV shows.
Back in May 2024, even as fans were still questioning whether 1883 Season 2 would happen, Netflix bolstered its upfronts presentation with the reveal that McGraw was signed on for a new western-leaning show in which he’d portray a mega-champion in the world of professional bull riding. But now his role in the untitled project, which has Skydance Television and Down Home as its studios, has been vacated, with the Grammy winner no longer able to take part for medical reasons.
As those who were hoping to catch him in concert in the back half of 2024 are aware, Tim McGraw had to cancel a number of tour dates after he suffered an injury on the road that required him to have orthopedic surgery on both of his knees. It seems like he might have still been good to go for the Netflix drama if that was the extent of his under-the-knife journey.
According to Deadline, a source close to McGraw’s camp says that the Louisiana native now requires back surgery, which will require him to stay off bulls, mechanical or organic, during a possibly lengthy recovery time. And it’d be one thing if the singer would have been playing someone who’s retired and/or no longer rides at all.
However, his role in the new series was as the aging superstar whose reign is challenged by a brazen young rider who shakes up not only rodeo arenas, but also the champ’s complicated past. As such, a physically demanding performance will be required, which McGraw will not be able to handle anytime soon.
The Best Possible Choice For Tim McGraw's Replacement (At Least To Me)
At this point, Tim McGraw formally pulling out of the project as an actor will allow for the rest of the creative team to put focus on recasting, assuming that will be the goal for all involved. McGraw was noted as being an executive producer when it was first announced, and seemingly no update was given for whether or not he'll stay on in that capacity.
Even though recasting efforts are only being rumored, with Deadline reported that the project's future is "unclear," I think it's worth pointing out that the new project's co-showrunner will be Taylor Elmore, who also has ties to Taylor Sheridan as a Tulsa King writer. But arguably his most celebrated work has come via his years as a writer and executive producer on Justified and its years-later follow-up Justified: City Primeval.
So if Elmore and writer/creator Brandon Camp need a quick replacement who absolutely has to look just as amazing as Tim McGraw does in a cowboy hat, there's no better option than Raylan Givens himself, Timothy Olyphant. They even share the same first name, which is basically like if destiny and opportunity had a baby.
Now, does my rash replacement choice take into account whether or not Timothy Olyphant actually wants to join a show that would require him to possibly deal with his own back, knee, thigh, buttock, and other pains that come with bullriding? No, it doesn't, so obviously someone would have to actually talk to him first before going public with the announcement. But can we already all agree that Olyphant would be a ringer for a show like this?
Perhaps he has a bad taste in his mouth from Netflix cancelling his horror comedy Santa Clarita Diet after three seasons, but if not, someone should make my pipe dreams come true.
It's perhaps also worth noting that Brandon Camp was a screenwriter for the 2001 thriller Dragonfly, starring the one-time Yellowstone monolith Kevin Costner. Considering Tim McGraw played Costner's ancestor in Sheridan's fictional universe, we might as well throw Costner's name into the ten-gallon hat of replacement choices.
Stay tuned to see what ends up happening with this bullriding drama, and send all the good thoughts Tim McGraw's way ahead of any and all future surgeries and recoveries.
