Taylor Sheridan’s television universe has never been short on surprises. Shows get renamed. Settings get swapped. Titles that seemed final turn out to be placeholders. Fans of Yellowstone and its ever-expanding constellation of spin-offs have learned to hold their expectations loosely, and the newest entry in that tradition is Frisco King, the Tulsa King spin-off starring Samuel L. Jackson in his first leading role in a television series.
The show was originally announced under the title NOLA King, with New Orleans serving as its setting. In February, Paramount confirmed both a name change and a location shift, moving the story from Louisiana to Texas. Production on the eight-episode first season is now scheduled to begin in Fort Worth in late March.
Frisco King lands fully in Taylor Sheridan’s hands
The creative overhaul goes beyond geography. Paramount has confirmed that Sheridan himself will write all eight episodes of the debut season, a significant development that signals the network’s commitment to keeping the show tightly within the voice that built the Sheridan universe in the first place.
The decision follows an earlier shake-up in the show’s creative leadership. A writer who had been attached to the project in a showrunning capacity had originally penned the series pilot before stepping away from the role due to scheduling conflicts with other projects. That pilot has since been set aside, and the series is effectively starting fresh under Sheridan’s full creative control.
Frisco King carries over a character audiences already met
Despite the changes in title, location, and creative approach, Frisco King is built on a foundation that existing Tulsa King viewers will recognize. Jackson’s character was introduced during the third season of Tulsa King, giving audiences a head start on understanding who he is and where he comes from before the spin-off even begins.
The original series synopsis described his character, Russell Lee Washington Jr., as a man who served a decade in federal prison alongside Tulsa King protagonist Dwight Manfredi. After his release, he returned to his home city with ambitions to reclaim his place there, only to find himself caught between old enemies, criminal rivals, and a family he had left behind. How much of that backstory survives the creative overhaul remains to be seen, but the character’s origins appear likely to remain intact.
Frisco King is assembling a cast around its lead
Jackson will be joined by a group of newcomers whose characters suggest a show with range across age and background. One cast member plays Teddy, described as an entrepreneurially minded college dropout whose instincts catch Lee’s attention. Another plays Keith, a valet drawn into the orbit of Jackson’s world. Two additional cast members play London and Avery, a pair of young women whose connection to Lee’s expanding operation in Texas adds texture to the ensemble. Further casting announcements are expected as production approaches.
Frisco King fits a familiar pattern in the Sheridan universe
The title changes and setting swaps that have defined Frisco King‘s development are not anomalies in Sheridan’s world. Tulsa King itself was originally titled Kansas City before the setting moved to Oklahoma. 1923, the Yellowstone prequel, began its development life under a different year entirely. The Yellowstone spin-off centered on the Beth and Rip characters has been circulating under multiple possible titles with no definitive resolution in sight.
What has remained consistent across all of it is Sheridan’s ability to generate anticipation before a single frame is filmed. Frisco King already has that working in its favor, and with Jackson at the center and Sheridan writing every episode, the pieces are in place for the show to deliver on the weight of expectations that come with both names.
