Billy Bob Thornton Drives Landman Season 3 Update Into May Shoot
Billy Bob Thornton pushed the landman season 3 update into clearer view at Deadline’s Contenders TV panel, where the series was already looking ahead to a May start for shooting. Season 3 was announced in December, and that timetable gives Paramount+ a concrete production target after Season 2 ended with a record audience.
January’s Season 2 finale drew 15.8 million viewers in its first two days, making it the most-watched original series finale ever for Paramount+. That kind of number explains why the next season is moving from announcement to production on a real schedule, not just a renewal note.
Thornton And Kay On Set Chemistry
Thornton said playing Tommy Norris felt like “putting on a nice pair of worn-in pants.” He added, “It’s easy to play father-son relationships when you’re a father, and when you had a father that you had a very tricky relationship with.”
He also said, “Sam and I go way back, so it was easy.” Stephen Kay, the director and executive producer, said, “We love each other, and you can sort of feel it when you watch the show. There’s a whole lot of heart.”
December Announcement, May Cameras
Season 3 was announced in December, which locked in the show’s future before the latest audience tally had even become part of the conversation. The May shooting start now turns that future into a working production timeline, and that is the main change viewers and the company can actually track.
Thornton said, “We thought it was going to appeal to the middle of the country, that was the hope for it.” He added, “We didn’t think the coasts would go for it — we certainly didn’t think it would become this huge international hit.”
Uganda, Australia, And Beyond
Thornton said, “We had no idea; we’re humbled by that and very proud of it.” He also said, “We have fans in Uganda, Australia and everywhere else.”
That reach makes the May shoot the next tangible marker for a series that outperformed its original audience expectations and turned a December announcement into a live production calendar. For viewers, the practical takeaway is simple: Season 3 is not floating as a possibility anymore; it is moving into production in May.
