King of New York

King of New York is a 1990 neo-noir crime film directed by Abel Ferrara and written by Nicholas St. John. It stars Christopher Walken, Laurence Fishburne, David Caruso, Victor Argo and Wesley Snipes, with supporting roles played by Giancarlo Esposito, Steve Buscemi, Paul Calderón, Janet Julian and Theresa Randle. Walken portrays Frank White, a New York City drug kingpin rebuilding his criminal empire after his release from prison, while also attempting to go legitimate. The film was released by Carolco Pictures (through New Line Cinema) on September 28, 1990. It received mixed reviews from critics, with several criticizing the film's violence and dark tone. Retrospective reviews have been much more positive, and the film has been described as one of Ferrara's best.