Taylor Sheridan’s upcoming Frisco King is one of the most talked-about shows heading to Paramount+, but a 1986 NBC series from Michael Mann already explored almost the exact same idea. Crime Story, which ran for two seasons from 1986 to 1988, followed a mob hitman who left Chicago for Las Vegas to build power in a new territory. That is remarkably close to the setup for Frisco King, where Samuel L. Jackson plays a New York mob enforcer who moves to Frisco, Texas, to start his own criminal operation.
A new analysis from ScreenRant points out that while Frisco King may feel fresh to modern audiences, Michael Mann got there first by four decades. The comparison highlights how the gangster genre keeps returning to the same core idea: a criminal leaves familiar ground and tries to make a name in a new place.
What Frisco King Is About
Frisco King is an upcoming American crime comedy drama series created by Taylor Sheridan for Paramount+. It is a spinoff of the Sylvester Stallone-led series Tulsa King.
Samuel L. Jackson leads the cast as Russell Lee Washington Jr., also known simply as Lee. The character first appeared in Tulsa King season 3. Lee is a New Orleans native with a history as a hitman for the New York mob. He met Dwight Manfredi (played by Sylvester Stallone) during a ten-year stint in federal prison, where Dwight saved Lee’s life roughly two decades earlier.
Their history becomes complicated when Lee is ordered to kill Dwight. He refuses the assignment and leaves his old life behind for Frisco, Texas, where he sets out to build a business of his own. The show is expected to follow a “fish out of water” pattern similar to Tulsa King, which saw Stallone’s New York character adjust to life in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Taylor Sheridan is writing all eight episodes of the first season himself. He also serves as an executive producer alongside Jackson and Stallone.
How Crime Story Told The Same Story First
Crime Story was a two-season NBC show executive produced by Michael Mann, who was coming off the success of Miami Vice. The series was created by Gustave Reininger and Chuck Adamson.
The show followed Lt. Mike Torello (played by Dennis Farina), head of the Chicago Major Crime Unit, and his obsessive pursuit of Ray Luca (played by Anthony Denison), a young and ambitious gangster. Luca starts out as a hitman for the Chicago mob before rising through the ranks. He is eventually sent to Las Vegas to run a bookmaking racket for the outfit. All the while, Torello is hunting him through the tense criminal underworld of the 1960s.
The central conflict of Crime Story was between a lawman and a gangster who goes west to expand his criminal reach. The ScreenRant analysis notes that the premise of Frisco King, where Samuel L. Jackson‘s character starts off as a hitman for the mob before striking out on his own in Frisco, Texas, is nearly identical to the story of Crime Story.
There are some differences. Frisco King takes place in the modern day, while Crime Story is set in the 1960s. Russell Lee Washington Jr. is out to start his own criminal enterprise, while Ray Luca rises through the ranks of an existing crime family. Still, both main characters start out as hitmen, go west to relatively untapped criminal markets, and potentially get hunted by figures from their past.
Michael Mann’s Show Was Ahead Of Its Time
Crime Story is now considered one of the best shows of the 1980s. The ScreenRant piece describes it as a forgotten gangster TV masterpiece with a complicated criminal underworld, a serialized plot that plays out across two seasons, and a strong cat-and-mouse dynamic.
In a 2012 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Michael Mann said that Crime Story was really the precursor to the idea of a television show as a big novel. That approach to serialized storytelling was rare on network TV in the mid-1980s.
Before The Sopranos, True Detective, or any other intense crime series that told one gripping story over the course of a season, there was Crime Story. The show does not have the same recognition as some of its successors, but its influence can still be seen in modern gangster dramas.
Crime Story is available to stream on Peacock Premium and Amazon Prime Video in the United States and Canada.
Who Is In The Frisco King Cast
Samuel L. Jackson leads the cast as Russell Lee Washington Jr., reprising the role he first played in Tulsa King season 3.
Asa Germann plays Teddy, a sharp, savvy, entrepreneurial college dropout who gets Lee’s attention. Germann is known for his role on The Boys: Gen V and can be seen in Scream 7.
Kai Caster plays Keith, a polite valet at the local Sandman Hotel. Caster previously appeared in Yellowstone and American Horror Story: Apocalypse.
Lilah Pate plays London, a popular cheerleader who is not afraid to use her good looks to get what she wants. Pate has appeared in Outer Banks and The Summer I Turned Pretty.
Savanna Gann plays Avery, a close friend of London and fellow cheerleader who also joins Lee’s squad. Gann starred in English Teacher and had a supporting role in Rebel Moon.
Tom Pecinka and Arturo Del Puerto also appear in recurring roles.
Where And When Frisco King Was Filmed
Production on Frisco King began in late March 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas. Filming took place across multiple North Texas cities, including Fort Worth, Plano, Dallas, Frisco, Keller, Denton, and Southlake. The shoot continued through July 2026 and wrapped production on season 1 by the end of that month.
Sylvester Stallone shared behind-the-scenes photos from the set. In one video, Stallone told Jackson, “Sam, we’re here to kick off your new show.” Jackson replied, “Frisco King… Am I a king yet? I’m working on it.” Stallone praised his costar, saying their first scene together “turned out fantastic” and adding, “It’s going to be a stellar show. [Jackson] is spectacular in this. Don’t miss it.”
Stallone is also an executive producer on the show and is expected to appear in some capacity.
Tulsa King Season 4 Arrives Before Frisco King
Tulsa King season 4 premieres on Friday, October 16, 2026, on Paramount+. Sylvester Stallone returns as Dwight “The General” Manfredi. The new season will see Dwight battle corrupt politicians and dangerous enemies.
Season 4 wrapped production in late March 2026 and entered post-production in April. A season 5 writers’ room has reportedly opened, with discussions about moving the production from Atlanta to New York.
Frisco King does not yet have an official premiere date. Early reports point to a debut on Paramount+ in early 2027. The series will stream exclusively on the platform. For viewers in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and India, Paramount+ is the home of the Tulsa King universe. In select European markets, Sheridan’s shows are available through SkyShowtime.
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FAQ
What is Frisco King about?
It follows Samuel L. Jackson as Russell Lee Washington Jr., a former mob hitman who moves to Frisco, Texas, to build his own criminal enterprise after refusing to kill Dwight Manfredi.
When does Frisco King come out?
No official date has been set. Reports suggest an early 2027 premiere on Paramount+.
Is Frisco King a spinoff of Tulsa King?
Yes. It is the first spinoff of Tulsa King and expands the universe created by Taylor Sheridan.
Who wrote Frisco King?
Taylor Sheridan wrote all eight episodes of season 1.
Was there a similar show in the 1980s?
Yes. Michael Mann‘s Crime Story (1986-1988) followed a gangster who moved west to expand his criminal operations.
Stay tuned to VvipTimes for more updates on the Tulsa King universe and Taylor Sheridan’s growing lineup of shows.
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