There are reasons to believe that Billy Bob Thornton’s Tommy Norris will become more like Kevin Costner’s John Dutton in Landman season 2. The series premiere of Taylor Sheridan’s oil drama debuted alongside Yellowstone season 5, part 2. Unlike the last chapter of his Dutton family saga, Sheridan’s new show boasted a full, star-studded cast, with Thornton playing Landman’s titular character, the fixer for Monty Miller’s (John Hamm) M-TEX oil company. In contrast, Yellowstone’s main star, Kevin Costner, didn’t return to close out the series as its lead.

Kevin Costner’s Yellowstone exit left many fans unsatisfied with the original show’s final chapter, which orbited the events leading up to John Dutton’s death. In Landman, Billy Bob Thornton’s Tommy Norris evoked Costner’s John Dutton. However, as M-TEX’s fixer, not its leader, Tommy was more like John Dutton’s right hand, Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) in Landman season 1, than he was a spiritual successor to John. However, after the events of Landman season 1’s finale gave Tommy more standing in the company, I expect him to emulate more of John’s qualities in season 2.

How Taylor Sheridan Plans To Make Tommy Norris More Like John Dutton In Landman Season 2
Tommy Becomes M-TEX’s President In Landman Season 1’s Finale

Landman season 1’s ending set Tommy Norris up to be more like John Dutton, taking over as the leader of M-TEX. In Landman season 1, episode 10, M-TEX’s CEO, Monty Miller, dies in a hospital bed due to complications from his fifth heart attack. As detailed in Landman’s finale, after Monty is incapacitated and waiting for a heart transplant, Tommy becomes the president of M-TEX and the Miller family estate in Landman season 1’s finale. While Monty’s wife, Cami (Demi Moore), will have a say, the development makes Norris the de facto man in charge.

With more say in M-TEX’s executive decisions, Tommy Norris will look a lot more like John Dutton in Landman season 2. While Tommy took care of business in the show’s first season, Monty was quick to remind Norris that he was the one in charge if his longtime partner ever spoke out. Therefore, while he had a lot of prowess in Landman season 1, Tommy wasn’t the fierce leader that John Dutton is in the Yellowstone franchise. Heading into Landman season 2, it’s becoming obvious that Taylor Sheridan plans to change that, putting Tommy in charge.

Billy Bob Thornton Seemingly Confirms Tommy Norris’ Landman Season 2 Transformation
Tommy Norris Actor Billy Bob Thornton Confirms His Character’s Change

With production for Landman season 2 well underway, developments about what to expect from the sophomore run are rising to the surface. Amid all the clamor for season 2, Billy Bob Thornton confirmed that Tommy’s role will change, continuing with the developments from Landman’s season 1 finale. As part of Deadline’s Contenders panel, Thornton offered insights into his Landman season 2 role, confirming that Norris will be shifting gears, saying: “He goes from having a job that’s really difficult and a job that’s very dangerous to having two [jobs]. Now I’m kind of executive and a landman.”

Tommy has acquired a unique skillset running the oil company’s ground operations, and Norris can apply his street smarts to M-TEX’s future success.

Thornton’s comments indicate that Tommy will indeed be acting as an executive for M-TEX in Landman season 2. Thornton goes on to describe his character as “a family man in the midst of this tornado,” implying that Norris will have his hands full in the upcoming season. While Tommy’s dual roles will certainly keep him busy, there’s plenty of reason to believe the fixer can handle it. Tommy has acquired a unique skillset running the oil company’s ground operations, and Norris can apply his street smarts to M-TEX’s future success. Norris’ promotion will doubtlessly draw out Tommy’s intrinsic leadership qualities.

How Demi Moore’s Landman Season 2 Role Will Affect Tommy’s Promotion
Cami Miller Will Also Step Up In Landman Season 2

Demi Moore’s Landman character also got promoted in the finale, becoming the leader of Monty’s family and a heavy hitter in M-TEX’s future. While Tommy became the president of the oil company in Landman season 1’s finale, Norris insisted that Cami and the family’s attorney, Alan (Jim Meskimen), get put on a board that votes on his M-TEX decisions. Therefore, rather than running his decisions past Monty like we see in season 1, Tommy will be consulting Cami in Landman season 2, promising to elevate Moore’s character, who was relegated to the background for most of season 1.

Thornton’s Deadline comments set an expectation for Tommy and Cami’s team-up. Thornton indicated that Tommy would act as Cami’s guide, informing her about how oil executives operate because Monty’s wife doesn’t know the business very well yet. The actor said that when things get difficult or “really weird” for Cami in Landman season 2, she’ll “let him know,” with Thornton promising Tommy will use his expertise to usher Cami through the business. As he takes the helm of M-TEX, Landman’s Tommy will better resemble Taylor Sheridan’s original man in charge, Yellowstone’s John Dutton.