Netflix's neo-western drama Desert King starts shooting in Australia

Production is underway in Australia on Netflix's neo-western drama series Desert King.

The show is touted as one of the streaming giant's 'iconic prestige productions' in the Asia-Pacific region.

The story centres around money and power in Australia’s harsh Outback regions with filming locations in the remote Northern Territory and near Adelaide, South Australia.

When the world’s largest cattle station is left without a clear successor, generational clashes threaten to tear the Lawson family apart. Sensing this once great dynasty is in decline, the outback’s most powerful factions – rival cattle barons, desert gangsters, Indigenous elders and billionaire miners – move in for the kill,” per the streamer's logline.

Directed by La Brea's Greg McLean, the show is a joint production between Easy Tiger and Ronde. It is created by Tim Lee (Mystery Road, Bump) and Ben Davies; executive produced by Ben Davies (Bondi Rescue, The First Inventors), Rob Gibson and Ian Collie (The Twelve, Jack Irish); produced by Paul Ranford (Stateless, True History of the Kelly Gang).

According to Variety, filming will take place on the 'traditional land of the Larrakia people' (Darwin, Northern Territory) and the Kaurna people (Adelaide, South Australia). Before production, Netflix and Screen Territory partnered on the First Nations Production Ready Bootcamp to support 10 First Nations participants by providing a comprehensive overview of the ins and outs of screen production, while also preparing them for trainee and attachment positions.

Post-production is also taking place in South Australia, supported by the SAFC’s SA Post-Production, Digital and Visual Effects (PDV) Rebate.

“’Desert King’ is the ultimate tale of big land, big money and all the high-stakes drama that come with it. We’re excited to be shooting our next premium Australian series in the Northern Territory for the first time, where this epic family drama is set, and at the world-class production facilities in South Australia,” said Netflix director of content ANZ, Que Minh Luu. “We’re working with some of Australia’s leading creators and crew to bring to life a version of this country we’re proud to show to our members both here at home and around the world.”

“We’re thrilled to have assembled an incredibly creative team, on and off-screen, to do justice to the rarely-seen world, characters and stories of the Top End, a place where timeless meets modern, and where landscape is life and livelihood, but also mortal danger,” added executive producers Davies and Gibson.

The series is backed by the Northern Territory Government’s Production Attraction Incentive Program (PAIP) and by funding from the South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) through the SAFC Screen Production Fund.