The Empire Expands: Paramount+ Sets Premiere Date and Releases First Teaser for Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Tulsa King’ Spin-Off, ‘Frisco King’
By Entertainment Desk
Published: October 15, 2026
Main Facts
The Taylor Sheridan television universe is expanding once again, bringing a heavy dose of star power and criminal enterprise to the streaming world. Paramount+ has officially announced the premiere date and dropped the first teaser trailer for Frisco King, the highly anticipated Tulsa King spin-off headlined by legendary actor Samuel L. Jackson.
The gritty crime drama is set to debut on Friday, December 18, kicking off its run with a two-episode premiere exclusively on Paramount+. Following the launch, new episodes will roll out weekly on Fridays, giving fans a high-stakes crime drama to sink their teeth into just ahead of the holidays.
Samuel L. Jackson steps back into the shoes of Russell Lee Washington Jr., a sharp, calculating New Orleans gangster whom audiences were first introduced to during Tulsa King Season 3. The newly released teaser trailer offers fans a glimpse of what to expect, featuring Russell collaborating with Sylvester Stallone’s iconic character, Dwight “The General” Manfredi, as they plot out Russell’s ambitious and illicit new business ventures in Frisco, Texas.
Written entirely by franchise architect Taylor Sheridan, the inaugural eight-episode season of Frisco King promises to blend the signature sharp dialogue, high-tension conflicts, and sprawling criminal logistics that have become hallmarks of the Sheridan-verse.
Chronology of Development: From ‘NOLA King’ to ‘Frisco King’
The path to bringing Samuel L. Jackson’s character to his own series has been a fascinating journey of creative evolution and strategic re-tooling behind the scenes at Paramount+.
- July 2025: Paramount+ officially greenlit the crime drama to series under the working title NOLA King. At the time of the announcement, the premise centered around Jackson’s character, Russell Lee Washington Jr., setting up his sprawling criminal operations in the heart of New Orleans.
- February 2026: In a surprising pivot, Paramount announced a significant creative shift for the project. The series was officially retitled Frisco King, shifting the primary geographic focus from Louisiana to the seemingly polished, affluent backdrop of Frisco, Texas. Concurrently, it was revealed that Taylor Sheridan—the creative powerhouse behind Tulsa King, Yellowstone, Mayor of Kingstown, Landman, and Special Ops: Lioness—would personally write all eight scripts for the show’s first season.
- October 15, 2026: Paramount+ officially sets the premiere date for December 18, 2026, releasing the official teaser trailer, logline, and main cast details to the public.
Supporting Data and Production Details
Behind the scenes, Frisco King boasts an elite roster of creative talent, blending heavy-hitting Hollywood legends with rising stars.
The Cast
While Samuel L. Jackson anchors the series as Russell Lee Washington Jr., he is joined by a dynamic ensemble cast featuring notable young talent and seasoned performers:
- Asa Germann (best known for Gen V)
- Kai Caster (a veteran of the Sheridan universe who previously appeared in Yellowstone)
- Lilah Pate (Outer Banks)
- Savanna Gann (English Teacher)
The Production Team
The series is a collaborative effort produced by Paramount Television Studios and 101 Studios. The executive producer slate reads like a who’s who of prestige television, featuring Samuel L. Jackson himself alongside Tulsa King star Sylvester Stallone, David C. Glasser, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Taylor Sheridan, and other key creative partners.
The Official Logline
According to official promotional materials provided by Paramount+, the narrative picks up immediately following Russell’s departure from the orbit of Dwight Manfredi:
"Russell won’t be in the suburb long before he discovers a hustler’s playground hidden beneath the polished surface of American suburbia. Recruiting an ambitious protégé, a loyal driver, and a growing network of eccentric partners, Lee transforms small hustles into big business. But every new score raises the stakes, and as his influence grows, so do the risks, forcing Lee to stay one grift ahead. Frisco may not know it yet, but its new king has arrived."
Official Responses and Executive Statements
The decision to enlist Taylor Sheridan to pen every single script for the freshman season was met with immense enthusiasm from studio leadership, who praised the rare level of creative dedication brought to the project.
When the scriptwriting arrangement was locked in earlier in the year, Paramount Television Studios President Matt Thunell released an official statement highlighting the significance of the partnership:
"We are honored to have Taylor Sheridan write the first season of ‘Frisco King’ and bring to life Samuel L. Jackson’s iconic character," Thunell said via statement. "Having him pen all episodes of the season with his singular voice will be a treat for fans of ‘Tulsa King’ and audiences around the world."
The collaboration between Jackson and Sheridan represents a major milestone for Paramount+, merging two of the entertainment industry’s most distinct and bankable forces into a single, cohesive narrative ecosystem. For Jackson, stepping into the role of a primary franchise lead under Sheridan’s pen marks an exciting new chapter in a storied career. Meanwhile, Sylvester Stallone’s involvement both on-screen (via crossover elements and teasers) and behind the scenes as an executive producer ensures narrative continuity with the parent series.
Implications for the Taylor Sheridan Television Universe
The launch of Frisco King carries substantial implications for Paramount+ and the broader television landscape, particularly regarding the viability and expansion of interconnected franchise universes on streaming platforms.
1. Solidifying the "Sheridan-Verse" Blueprint
Historically, television universes built around a single creator—most notably Taylor Sheridan’s sprawling work centered on Yellowstone and its various prequels (1883, 1923)—have relied heavily on historical drama or rural western settings. With Tulsa King and now Frisco King, Sheridan has successfully proven that his gritty, character-driven storytelling translates seamlessly to modern, urban, and suburban crime dramas. By establishing Frisco King as a direct spin-off of Tulsa King (which was recently renewed for a fifth season), Paramount+ is actively building a multi-show crime franchise that can sustain subscriber growth year-round.
2. The Crossover Potential
The inclusion of Sylvester Stallone’s Dwight Manfredi in the promotional rollout hints strongly at a shared cinematic television universe where characters can cross state lines and intersect. This narrative flexibility mirrors the interconnected strategies used by major comic book franchises, but applies them to high-end prestige cable dramas. If Frisco King performs well, fans can likely expect future crossover events, guest appearances, and shared stakes between Tulsa and Frisco.
3. Elevating Paramount+ as a Crime Drama Destination
Paramount+ has leaned heavily into original scripted dramas to compete with streaming giants like Netflix, HBO/Max, and Amazon Prime Video. By pairing Samuel L. Jackson—an actor with immense global recognition—with Taylor Sheridan, the platform is cementing its reputation as the premier home for high-stakes, star-driven American crime narratives.
As December 18 approaches, all eyes will be on Frisco, Texas, to see if Samuel L. Jackson’s Russell Lee Washington Jr. can successfully replicate, or even surpass, the empire-building exploits of his predecessor. For fans of high-octane crime thrillers, the holiday season is arriving precisely one week early.
