At long last, Paramount+ has released a teaser trailer and first-look images for Lawmen: Bass Reeves, starring Emmy nominee David Oyelowo as the titular Deputy U.S. Marshal. Created by showrunner Chad Feehan (Ray Donovan) and executive produced by Oyelowo and Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan, Lawmen: Bass Reeves will debut its 8-episode first season sometime this fall.
"I'm the law of this land," Oyelowo growls in the 20-second teaser. "I'm Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves, and your wicked days are done." Lawmen: Bass Reeves is the story of the titular frontier hero, who was the first Black Deputy U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi River. Reeves brought more than 3,000 of the most dangerous criminals of the Wild West to justice while working as a federal peace officer in the Indian Territory — without ever being wounded himself.
See Oyelowo, best known for his critically-acclaimed portrayal of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the 2014 biopic Selma, embody the iconic Bass Reeves in the teaser trailer below:
The teaser shows Reeves kicking in the door of a burning house and charging into cannon fire on horseback. The clip also offers a first glimpse of Dennis Quaid as fellow Deputy U.S. Marshal Sherrill Lynn. Other cast members include Boardwalk Empire's Shea Whigham, Tulsa King and Mudbound favorite Garrett Hedlund, Lauren E. Banks, Barry Pepper, Forrest Goodluck, Demi Singleton and Donald Sutherland. Hell or High Water actress Dale Dickey (who's slated to appear in Kevin Costner's Horizon franchise) and Yellowstone alum Mo Brings Plenty will also appear in recurring roles.
While Lawmen: Bass Reeves was initially planned as a Yellowstone story (the original title was 1883: The Bass Reeves Story), Taylor Sheridan is credited only as an executive producer on the series, not as a co-creator or writer. According to the show's IMDb page, Sheridan will direct two episodes of the 8-episode season.
Billed as an anthology series, future seasons of the show will focus on other legendary lawmen and criminals pulled from the annals of history.
Check out the first look photos for Lawmen: Bass Reeves below.
David Oyelewo as Bass Reeves and Lauren Banks as Jennie Reeves in 'Lawmen: Bass Reeves.' (Kwaku Alston/Paramount+)
Barry Pepper as Esau Pierce in 'Lawmen: Bass Reeves.' (Kwaku Alston/Paramount+)
David Oyelewo as Bass Reeves and Shea Whigham as George Reeves in 'Lawmen: Bass Reeves.' (Emerson Miller/Paramount+)
David Oyelowo as Bass Reeves and Dennis Quaid as Sherrill Lynn in 'Lawmen: Bass Reeves.' (Paramount+)
Lawmen: Bass Reeves premieres this fall on Paramount+.
