Kenneth Branagh to Lead Paramount+ Drama ‘Laird’
It’s Yellowstone meets the Scottish Highlands, basically.
Taylor Sheridan is one of the most popular names in entertainment right now, thanks to his sprawling Yellowstone franchise (which includes the Helen Mirren-starrer, 1923), a complex family and financial drama that also doubles as a love letter to the American West. But what if Yellowstone...were Scottish?
That seems to be the primary impetus behind the forthcoming Paramount+ drama Laird, which honestly sounds like nothing so much as a grittier, clearly Sheridan-inspired take on Monarch of the Glen with a bit of HBO’s Succession thrown on top for good measure.
A contemporary drama set in the modern-day Scottish Highlands — sorry to those who hoped this was going to be Outlander, Part 2 — the show will star none other than Sir Kenneth Branagh (Belfast) as the Laird of Castle Drummoch (from which the series takes its name), who stands up against an American oligarch who is seeking to buy up the glens for himself.
“At its heart, Laird is about one man standing his ground against unchecked wealth and power,” Jane Wiseman, Head of Originals for Paramount+, said. "There’s something universally resonant about watching someone fight to protect what matters most, and with Kenneth Branagh leading the series, and an equally remarkable creative team, we can’t wait for audiences to root for the Laird of Castle Drummoch.”
Here’s the series synopsis.
Set in the modern Scottish Highlands, Laird is an epic family saga in which a proud Scot defies a shadowy American billionaire hellbent on buying up the glens. Amidst family feuds, buried secrets and star-crossed romances, the Laird of Castle Drummoch (Branagh) remains determined to protect his ancestral lands from oligarchical land grabbing.
Branagh is currently the only performer attached to the project, but given its fairly sweeping scale, that’s likely to change in fairly short order.
Created by Jez Butterworth (MobLand), John-Henry Butterworth (The Agency), and Georgia Lee (The 100), Laird is produced by Paramount Television Studios and 101 Studios. BAFTA winner Joe Wright (Pride & Prejudice) is set to helm the series’s pilot.
“Jez, John-Henry, and Georgia have imagined a gripping drama that explores how far one family will go to protect their land and legacy,” said Matt Thunell, President, Paramount Television Studios. “With Kenneth Branagh starring and Joe Wright directing, this is a singular creative team, and we are thrilled to once again partner with 101 Studios to bring this series to Paramount+.”
Branagh, Wright, and both Butterworths are executive producers, alongside David C. Glasser, Ron Burkle, David Hutkin, Bob Yari, Charles Finch, and Keith Cox.
Laird does not yet have a premiere date, but since it’s not yet filming, it’s a good bet it won’t arrive until late 2027/early 2028.
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