As Tulsa King gears up for its fourth season, major behind-the-scenes changes are shaking up production — starting with Sylvester Stallone’s longtime stunt double.
Freddie Poole, who’s worked with Stallone for 14 years and earned two Emmy nominations for his work on Tulsa King, was informed that he would not be returning for the upcoming season.
Poole told Deadline he was offered a new role as a photo double but declined. “I feel really bad for the Atlanta film community with just the way things went down,” Poole said. “I’ve been in this business for 30 years and I’ve been on shows for multiple seasons, and I’ve never seen this kind of turnover.”
Poole isn’t the only crew member affected. In total, 26 members of Tulsa King’s roughly 600-person crew were let go just weeks before cameras were set to roll. The cuts span multiple departments — including sound, camera, stunts, rigging, transportation, production office, and extras casting.
Crew members reportedly expected to return after the series was renewed for two more seasons in 2024, following Stallone’s new deal with Paramount+.
Chad Gregory, Stallone’s stand-in for the first three seasons, also learned through word of mouth that he wouldn’t be coming back. His former job, which paid $250 a day, has reportedly been reposted for $400.
“Business is business,” Gregory said. “I’m sure there will be some who see this and say I need to stiffen up. That’s fine. But I will say this, unless you are out there getting gut punched, I don’t give a flying rip about your opinion.”
While 101 Studios and Paramount declined to comment, insiders have called the turnover “standard practice” between seasons, emphasizing that all roles are being replaced rather than eliminated. Budget cuts were reportedly not a factor.
The staffing shakeup follows a series of larger moves within the Paramount ecosystem. Earlier this week, Tulsa King creator Taylor Sheridan announced his upcoming five-year deal with NBCUniversal, set to begin in 2029 after his current Paramount deal expires. At the same time, Paramount confirmed plans to lay off roughly 2,000 U.S.-based employees in two waves.
Production on Tulsa King Season 4 is expected to begin within the week, with Terence Winter returning as executive producer and head writer after previously serving as showrunner in Season 1.