Sylvester Stallone’s Tulsa King is officially renewed for season 2 by Paramount+. Taylor Sheridan’s TV empire was built upon the neo-Western Yellowstone and its bevy of Dutton Family spinoff shows set in different time periods. Now thanks to Tulsa King, Sheridan has expanded his universe into the world of modern-day mobsters. Starring movie icon Stallone in his first scripted small-screen lead role, Tulsa King follows the exploits of New York wiseguy Dwight Manfredi as he unwillingly relocates to the backwaters of Tulsa and endeavors to set up shop in a new and strange environment.

Given the involvement of Sheridan and Stallone, not to mention executive producer Terence Winter of Sopranos fame, Tulsa King seemed like a slam dunk to succeed on Paramount+. And it appears the show is indeed performing up to expectations, as Paramount+ has officially ordered up season 2 (via Deadline). In fact, according to a statement by Paramount Streaming Chief Programming Officer Tanya Giles, Tulsa King’s premiere was responsible for driving a record number of Paramount+ sign-ups. Giles said, "With the combination of the incomparable Sylvester Stallone and Taylor Sheridan’s darkly comedic twist on the beloved mobster genre, we have found our latest hit in Tulsa King."

Will Sylvester Stallone Return For Tulsa King Season 2?


There is no indication from the official Paramount+ statement that Stallone won’t be back for Tulsa King season 2, and indeed the wording of the statement makes it seem he is back. However, the star did recently indicate that his leaving the show after season 1 might be an option. Speaking to Variety, the star talked about how hard it is to maintain a series TV schedule, saying:

It’s beyond tough. I can’t believe some people have done this for four, five or six seasons. It’s brutal, compared to filmmaking. I’ll never say, "This is a hard shoot" again on a feature. It’s a vacation compared to this! It really is... Can they shoot it in my home in Palm Beach? That’d be nice. I talked to my wife about it. If she comes along with the kids to the set to visit, perhaps. But it’s a big decision, it really is.
Stallone is of course well-known for threatening to quit franchises. After Creed was a hit for instance, the star made it seem that there was no way he would return for Creed II – before he turned around and signed on for Creed II. Stallone has also retired from the Expendables series more times than anyone can count. Nevertheless, Stallone is ready to return again as Barney Ross in The Expendables IV.

Stallone’s willingness to make such public statements about his status for this-or-that project could just be a ploy to maintain his leverage during the course of tough negotiations. Or it could be that he really enjoys putting these things out there so that his fans will take to social media and beg him to come back. Whatever Stallone’s motives for saying the things he says, he always keeps his fans guessing about whether he’s really in or out. When it comes to Tulsa King season 2, it seems Stallone is in. But it’s quite possible that he is returning to the grind of a second season only reluctantly. Stallone’s fans certainly want him back for more Tulsa King, and Paramount+ definitely wants him back, considering the huge sign-up numbers the show delivered for the streamer.