FORT WORTH, Texas – One of the creators behind smash hit shows “Yellowstone” and “1883″ is bringing a new series to life based on frontier lawman Bass Reeves.
David Oyelowo will star as Reeves in the six-part limited series, according to Deadline.
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Taylor Sheridan, co-creator and showrunner of “Yellowstone” is directing the pilot and subsequent episode.
Legends of America states that Reeves, who was born to slave parents in 1838, became the first black U.S. Deputy Marshal west of the Mississippi River. He is highly regarded as one of the greatest frontier heroes in U.S. history.
There is wide speculation that Reeves was the inspiration for the fictional character the Lone Ranger.
The lawman is known to have killed 14 outlaws in addition to apprehending more than 3,000 during his tenure as a U.S. Marshal, according to Britannica.
“The mortality rate of being a deputy marshal back then was so high that the fact that he had 3,000 arrests — and a career that spanned into his 60s — these were things that were just unthinkable,” Oyelowo told Deadline.
Parts of the series were filmed in Fort Worth last year.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that production on the series is set to begin in the coming months, bringing millions of dollars into the local economy.
Oyelowo said that streaming gatekeepers “are now looking at data and algorithms that suggest that so many are watching projects and stories told by Black and brown people, for Black and brown people that the whole world is imbibing, including white people.”
“1883: The Bass Reeves Story” will debut on streaming service Paramount+. An official release date has not been announced.
Another “Yellowstone” prequel series from Sheridan “1932″ starring Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford is set to debut on Paramount+ this December.
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