Paramount+ crime drama Last King of the Cross, about legendary Australian underworld figure John Ibrahim, is getting a second season.
The eight-part run’s order comes after season one landed strongly on the Paramount streamer this year and sold around the world to the likes of Sky in the UK.
We recently feature it in our Global Breakouts strand, as it represents a new breed of premium Aussie streaming dramas that also includes Netflix’s Heartbreak High and Disney+’s upcoming Artful Dodger. This week, Lincoln Younes was nominated for Most Popular Actor at Australia’s Logie Awards thanks in large part due to his portrayal of lead character Ibrahim.
Season two will dive deeper into the seductive and dangerous world of Kings Cross, Sydney, as Ibrahim expands his empire into the booming queer nightclub scene in the ecstasy-fuelled early 2000s. The stakes are higher than ever before, and everyone wants a piece — including John’s two younger brothers. Helium is again producing, with Cineflix Rights handling international sales.
The series is inspired by Ibrahim’s autobiography, charting his rise from poverty-stricken immigrant with no education, no money, and no prospects to Australia’s most infamous nightclub mogul. He has constantly been linked to the Sydney drugs market but has never been convicted of any crime.
“Australian audiences love local stories and content, which is why Last King of The Cross was the most-watched local series,” said Daniel Monaghan, SVP, Content and Programming, Paramount ANZ.
“It is titles like this that make us proud to have our local commissions with universal themes, compelling, propulsive storylines, world class Australian talent and high-quality production values, contribute to Paramount+’s mountain of exclusive content, on an international scale.
“After the outstanding success of Season One, we are incredibly excited for Last King of The Cross to return for an electrifying second season,” said Helium founder Mark Hennessy. “Bigger, bolder, and even more action-packed, we are eager to share the next chapter of this compelling story.
“As is evident by the international sales, Last King of The Cross has been embraced globally, which has fueled Helium’s commitment to telling gripping stories on a grand scale, delivering immersive and powerful narratives that resonate with audiences around the world. With unforgettable characters, explosive action, and complex relationships, the second season goes above and beyond in fulfilling this commitment — taking audiences on an exhilarating journey through a world that is sexy, dangerous, and deeply human.”
