Lawsuit Filed by Taylor Sheridan's Ranch Against Cole Hauser's Coffee Brand
Taylor Sheridan's Bosque Ranch is taking legal action against Cole Hauser's coffee brand, Free Rein, for alleged trademark infringement The lawsuit is a result of the 'Yellowstone' creator's ranch claiming that Hauser's brand violated their trademark rights
Taylor Sheridan, Cole Hauser. Omar Vega/Getty Images ; Emerson Miller for Paramount
The behind-the-scenes drama at Yellowstone has escalated with the news of creator Taylor Sheridan's ranch filing a lawsuit against Cole Hauser's coffee brand. Bosque Ranch, owned by Sheridan, filed a lawsuit on November 21 accusing Hauser's coffee company, Free Rein, of trademark infringement, unfair competition, and false advertising, according to documents obtained by We.
The lawsuit alleges that Bosque Ranch, established by Sheridan nearly 20 years ago to represent his business and personal ventures, has a distinctive "B and R" logo that is similar to Hauser's coffee brand. Sheridan's brand has even been featured on the show Yellowstone, in which Hauser stars as Rip Wheeler.
Sheridan argues in his filing that Free Rein is "confusingly similar" to his brand and "constitutes false and misleading descriptions of fact which are likely to cause confusion or to cause mistake" regarding the association of goods with Bosque Ranch.
Bosque Ranch also alleged that they publicly announced a new craft coffee in June, reflecting the "cowboy way of life." Sheridan claimed that Hauser's brand rollout, launched "a little over three months" later, seemed to be similar to theirs and that Hauser did not receive permission or authorization. As a result, Bosque Ranch stated that the similarity between Free Rein is "irreparably damaging" to their brand and that if not stopped, they will continue to suffer irreparable injury.
Emerson Miller for Paramount Network
The lawsuit continues to demand that Hauser’s company cease using the Free Rein brand and “dispose of all products, marketing, and promotional materials” associated with their brand. Bosque Ranch also anticipates that Free Rein will cover all “compensatory damages.”
The Yellowstone crew has faced off-screen drama before. In February, Deadline reported that the Paramount series was expected to end after its 5th season due to "disagreements over shooting schedules" with lead actor Kevin Costner, who plays patriarch John Dutton. Costner, 68, was allegedly "only wanted to spend a week shooting" the second half of season 5, which is set to air in November 2024. Costner’s lawyer Marty Singer later refuted the allegations, stating, “The idea that Kevin was only willing to work one week on the second half of season 5 of Yellowstone is an absolute lie. It’s ridiculous — and anyone suggesting it shouldn’t be believed for one second. As everyone who knows anything about Kevin is well aware, he is incredibly passionate about the show and has always gone way above and beyond to ensure its success.”
In April, there was more drama when Costner and Sheridan suddenly pulled out of their scheduled appearances at PaleyFest in Los Angeles, where Yellowstone was set to be honored.
According to a source, the ongoing tensions between Kevin, who is an executive producer, and Taylor led to the last-minute cancellation. Kevin did not want to appear disingenuous and would have had to avoid difficult questions about their working relationship. It seemed like a no-win situation for him, so he decided it wasn't worth it. It's clear that the behind-the-scenes drama is far from over.
The Hollywood Reporter announced in May that Yellowstone would conclude after its fifth season, with uncertainty surrounding Costner's involvement in filming the remaining episodes. Sheridan finally addressed the rumors of a feud with Costner a month later.
He told The Hollywood Reporter in June that his last discussion with Kevin was about Kevin's desire to direct a passion project. There was a disagreement between Kevin and the network regarding when he could finish with Yellowstone. He said, "We can certainly work a schedule toward [his preferred exit date]," and they did. His opinion of Kevin as an actor remains unchanged. He has never encountered an issue with Kevin that they couldn't work out over the phone.
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Sheridan also noted that rumors that the pair clashed over scheduling problems were overblown.
Once lawyers become involved, communication breaks down and false statements are made in an attempt to shift blame based on public or media reactions," he said. "Kevin has endured a lot of this and I don't think anyone deserves it. His film 'Horizon' appears to be a significant priority for him and he wants to redirect attention to that. I truly hope that the movie is worth it and that it turns out to be a success."
