'In for the kill': Cattle barons, gangsters, miners battle in Territory

What could easily sound like everyday life in the Northern Territory, is the plot of the latest Netflix show filmed in the Top End.

Production for the six-part neo-western drama Territory (first announced as Desert King) began in September on the traditional land of the Larrakia people, as well as other locations in the north, including iconic cattle station Tipperary. Filming has since also commenced in South Australia, making the show one of the largest local screen productions filmed in both the Territory and South Australia.

According to Netflix, Territory is an explosive drama about power, family, land and legacy.

Netflix Director of Content, Que Minh Luu, said it was "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.

"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."

The upcoming series is set to debut on Netflix on October 24, with Anna Torv (The Newsreader, The Last of Us) starring in the lead role as Emily Lawson.

Executive Producers Ben Davies and Rob Gibson said they were "beyond excited" to be in the Outback "to make this epic and distinctively Australian drama for audiences worldwide on Netflix".

"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," they said.

Mr Davies told Netflix that during a pandemic-era beach walk with Mr Gibson, the two "got excited about the prospect of doing a big-scale, high-stakes action drama set on a cattle station - in a part of the country you don't often see on-screen.

"It was a complete contrast as we were surrounded by the Bondi crowd, people moving past us in their active wear, wet suits, carrying their surfboards while Rob and I were dreaming up stories about people in jeans, boots, and flannel shirts in the Top End."

Director of Screen Territory Jennie Hughes said she was thrilled to be working again with Mr Davies who has a long history with the NT through productions such as Outback Ringer and The First Inventors.

"This is an ambitious Netflix series which could not have been made anywhere else but in the Territory," she said.

"It captures the vastness, beauty and scale of the Territory, which is going to give this project an unparalleled sense of authenticity, aesthetic and audience appeal.

"Territory features all the ingredients to become a flagship Australian series with an extraordinary cast and crew featuring Australia's finest talents. This is the largest series ever to be filmed in the NT and Screen Territory is delighted to have contributed production finance through its Production Attraction Incentive Program to assist in bringing Territory to the NT where it belongs."

The NT has previously left its mark on the Netflix streaming platform with shows like Wild Croc Territory, starring Outback Wrangler Matt Wright, and the much-talked about series Last Stop Larrimah which delves into the mysterious disappearance of NT man Paddy Moriarty.