Samuel L. Jackson is joining the Sheridan-verse. The Oscar nominee is set to enter the orbit of Tulsa King before potentially headlining his own spin-off, NOLA King, for Paramount+, in a move that adds serious weight to Taylor Sheridan’s expanding criminal empire.
Jackson will make his debut as Russell Lee Washington Jr.—a character described as deeply rooted in the crime world—in season three of Tulsa King, which begins production in July. Sources say his character will be positioned as both a rival and narrative catalyst for Sylvester Stallone’s Dwight “The General” Manfredi.
Following his arc in Tulsa King, Jackson’s Washington Jr. will head south to New Orleans, where he’ll assume control of the city’s underworld in NOLA King, a standalone drama that continues Sheridan’s serialized playbook: plant the seed in one series, grow it in another. Think 1883 and 1923, but with more muscle and a Crescent City beat.
The spin-off concept came from Chris McCarthy, President and CEO of Showtime and MTV Entertainment Studios, who has been aggressively building out the Sheridan IP portfolio across the Paramount+ platform. The strategy mirrors the multi-series ecosystem already in play with the Yellowstone universe.
No creative team has been officially announced yet for NOLA King, but expect that info—and a series order confirmation—once Jackson’s run on Tulsa King hits screens. For now, the plan is to use his season three appearance to lay the foundation for the New Orleans-set story.
It’s a significant swing, both creatively and commercially. Jackson brings franchise-level firepower and cultural cachet to the table, and the character’s transition from Tulsa to NOLA offers a clear pipeline for narrative expansion without disrupting the Stallone-led core.
With Jackson now in the mix, Sheridan’s organized crime saga is no longer just a one-man show.
