Billy Bob Thornton may have struck oil with Landman, but the road to West Texas started with an unlikely trip back to the North Pole. As the Paramount+ drama continues to dominate screens, Taylor Sheridan has revealed the Bad Santa pitch that landed Billy Bob Thornton in Landman. And apparently, it did not take much convincing.

But how exactly did one of Thornton’s wildest characters pave the way for his latest television hit?

Speaking on The Bill Simmons Podcast, Sheridan revealed that he pitched Landman by comparing Thornton’s lead character, Tommy Norris, to one of the actor’s most iconic performances. “I want to make a drama with Bad Santa running an oil company,” Sheridan recalled telling him.

Thornton immediately embraced the idea, responding, “That’s the greatest f****** thing I’ve ever heard in my life. Yeah, let’s do it!” The simple comparison ultimately helped bring the Paramount+ drama to life.

  “I said, ‘I want to make a drama with Bad Santa running an oil company. He’s like, ‘That’s the greatest f****** thing I’ve ever heard in my life. Yeah, let’s do it!'” Sheridan said on The Bill Simmons Podcast.

The reference was not random. In the 2003 comedy Bad Santa, Thornton played foul-mouthed conman Willie T. Stokes, an alcoholic posing as a mall Santa while pulling off holiday heists with his partner Marcus, played by Tony Cox. In Landman, however, he swaps the red suit for the Texas oil fields as abrasive crisis executive Tommy Norris, navigating deadly accidents and high-stakes conflicts in the energy business. Despite the vastly different settings, Sheridan clearly saw the same unapologetic edge connecting both characters.

Here’s When Billy Bob Thornton’s 'Landman' Season 2 Hits Paramount+

And what began with a wild Bad Santa pitch has since struck television gold, with Landman wasting no time digging into its next chapter.

Landman kicked off 2026 with a bang, wrapping Season 2 on January 18 after dominating total TV viewership for five consecutive weeks and reportedly drawing more than 14 million viewers for its finale. The success quickly pushed the oil drama into Season 3, though Billy Bob Thornton has indicated that filming will not begin until late August 2026, potentially pushing the new episodes into 2027 rather than the show’s usual late-fall window. Taylor Sheridan, meanwhile, remains firmly behind the wheel and is set to write every episode of the upcoming season.

The cast is also cashing in on the show’s success. Demi Moore reportedly secured between $740,000 and $770,000 per episode, putting her on par with Thornton, while, as per Deadline, Ali Larter more than doubled her salary to over $350,000 per episode. Michelle Randolph and Jacob Lofland also reportedly landed raises in the $130,000 to $180,000 range, while Thornton remains under his original three-season deal. Story-wise, Season 3 is expected to explore the fallout between Tommy and Cami after his firing, his move toward an independent company, and Cooper’s growing responsibilities in an increasingly dangerous oil empire.

With Landman now drilling toward another high-stakes chapter, Billy Bob Thornton’s quick yes to Sheridan’s wild idea clearly struck more than oil.

'Landman' Stars Land Big Salary Bumps as Hit Series Heads Into Season 3

What are your thoughts on Taylor Sheridan’s Bad Santa pitch? Let us know in the comments.