“Tulsa King” replaced 26 crew members just days before shooting began on the series.
The crew members were asked not to return to set for the fourth season, but most are expected to be replaced. Production is set to start on the crime drama series in a week. Individuals from sound, camera operating, stunts, rigging, transportation, the production office, extras casting, hair, photography and stunt departments were affected in the restructuring.
Sylvester Stallone’s long-time stunt double Freddie Poole was also one of the crew asked not to return for Season 4. He like many others were expected to stay on as the show closed a two-season renewal deal in 2024.
“I feel really bad for the Atlanta film community with just the way things went down,” Poole noted in a statement to Deadline. “I’ve been in this business for 30 years and I’ve been on shows for multiple seasons, and I’ve never seen this kind of turnover.”
Poole said he learned of his dismissal within two weeks of his scheduled start date. He stunt doubled for Stallone for 14 years.
Chad Gregory, who was Stallone’s stand-in for all three seasons of “Tulsa King,” was also not asked back for Season 4. He found out because his friend told him his job was listed at an increased hourly rate.
This production shakeup on the Taylor Sheridan series comes just days after the EP accepted a billion dollar deal with NBCUniversal and as Paramount lays off 1,000 staffers.
101 Studios and Paramount declined to comment.
Per Deadline, who first reported the news, sources noted the crew turnover is “standard practice” and that everyone who was not asked back for Season 4 did not have contracts to stay. Another source noted that Paramount’s budget cuts were not a factor in the replacements.
“Tulsa King” Season 4 was set for a shakeup anyway with Terence Winter returning to the show as an executive producer and head writer. Winter served as an EP and showrunner on the series’ first season but stepped down after that. He later joined the show as a writer and EP for Season 2 but did not return for Season 3.
“Tulsa King” streams on Paramount+.
