In May 1951, Ladd announced he had formed Ladd Enterprises, his own production company, to produce films, radio, and TV, when his Paramount contract ended in November 1952. He optioned the novel Shadow Riders of the Yellowstone by Les Savage. The next month, his deal with Warner Bros. was announced: one film per year for five years. However, he expressed a desire to continue to work with Paramount.
