| Last King of the Cross | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Crime thriller [1] |
| Based on | Last King of the Cross by John Ibrahim |
| Starring |
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| Composer | Antony Partos |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 18 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producers |
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| Cinematography | Bruce Young |
| Editors |
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| Running time | 44–62 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | Paramount+ |
| Release | 17 February 2023 – present |
Last King of the Cross is an Australian crime thriller television series on Paramount+, which premiered on 17 February 2023. The series is inspired by the autobiography of nightclub owner John Ibrahim and his experiences in Sydney's Kings Cross and Oxford Street. It is produced by Helium Pictures and distributed internationally through Cineflix Rights. [2] [3] The second season premiered on 30 August 2024. [4] [5] [6]
The series follows John Ibrahim's (Lincoln Younes) journey from early poverty amid a Lebanese immigrant family to later success. [7] Despite a lack of prospects, he becomes a nightclub mogul of Sydney's Kings Cross, known as much for entertainment as for crime and vice. [8]
Once established in King's Cross, Ibrahim sets his sights on 1990s Oxford Street in Sydney. [9]
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Episode 1" | Kieran Darcy-Smith | Kieran Darcy-Smith | February 17, 2023 |
| 2 | 2 | "Episode 2" | Kieran Darcy-Smith | Kieran Darcy-Smith | February 17, 2023 |
| 3 | 3 | "Episode 3" | Catherine Millar | Morgan O'Neill | February 24, 2023 |
| 4 | 4 | "Episode 4" | Catherine Millar | Jane Allen | March 3, 2023 |
| 5 | 5 | "Episode 5" | Grant Brown | Alastair Newton Brown | March 10, 2023 |
| 6 | 6 | "Episode 6" | Grant Brown | Matt Nable | March 17, 2023 |
| 7 | 7 | "Episode 7" | Ian Watson | James Pope | March 24, 2023 |
| 8 | 8 | "Episode 8" | Ian Watson | Morgan O'Neill | March 31, 2023 |
| 9 | 9 | "Episode 9" | Grant Brown & Kieran Darcy-Smith | Kieran Darcy-Smith | April 7, 2023 |
| 10 | 10 | "Episode 10" | Grant Brown & Kieran Darcy-Smith | Morgan O’Neill | April 14, 2023 |
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 1 | "Episode 1" | Grant Brown | Sam Meikle | August 30, 2024 |
| 12 | 2 | "Episode 2" | Grant Brown | Fin Edquist | August 30, 2024 |
| 13 | 3 | "Episode 3" | Grant Brown | Sarah Smith | September 6, 2024 |
| 14 | 4 | "Episode 4" | Ian Watson | Tim Pye | September 13, 2024 |
| 15 | 5 | "Episode 5" | Ian Watson | James Pope | September 20, 2024 |
| 16 | 6 | "Episode 6" | Ian Watson | Sam Meikle | September 27, 2024 |
| 17 | 7 | "Episode 7" | Tori Garrett | Jane Allen | October 4, 2024 |
| 18 | 8 | "Episode 8" | Tori Garrett | Fin Edquist | October 11, 2024 |
Filming of the first season began in 2022, with strict Covid-19 protocols in place. A car park in Western Sydney was converted to recreate the Kings Cross area. The team had to film amid torrential rain, amid the 2022 New South Wales floods. [1]
Ian McShane had originally been cast as Ezra Shipman, but had to withdraw citing health reasons. The role was recast with Tim Roth. [1]
The first season of the show became the most-watched Australian series on Paramount+. [8]
