(Updated 08/31/2023)
A new Martin Scorsese movie is coming, and we'll get to see it on the big screen. Any year with a new Scorsese movie is a good one, and there’s a bonus this time. KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON reteams the director with his two most regularly-cast actors: Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio.
The new Leonardo DiCaprio movie adapts the nonfiction book by journalist David Grann. KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON looks at a series of murders that took place in Osage County Oklahoma in the 1920s. At least 20 members of the native Osage population were killed, all thanks to their ties to oil rights, after massive deposits were discovered on their land. Here’s what we know about KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON so far — including the stunning first trailer.
Where and When Can We See Killers of the Flower Moon?
While Apple produced KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, the company has partnered with Paramount Pictures for a theatrical release. Paramount will release the new Scorsese movie with a wide opening on October 20.
Watch the Killers of the Flower Moon Trailer
Without giving too much of the story away, this trailer tells you everything. It sets up a conflict between robber barons and the native Osage people, all driven by oil and the money it generates. We see the characters played by DiCaprio and De Niro — and Lily Gladstone, who comes across like a powerhouse who can more than hold her own against Scorsese's regular stars.
Who's Who in Killers of the Flower Moon
While the movie was originally written for DiCaprio to star as the lead investigator, FBI Agent Tom White, that role went to Jesse Plemons instead. DiCaprio appears as Ernest Burkhart, nephew to the big bad of the movie, William Hale, played by Robert De Niro. And Lily Gladstone rounds out the key cast as Mollie Burkhart. Gladstone is of Blackfeet and Nimíipuu heritage; she grew up on the Blackfeet Nation reservation in Montana.
Also in the cast is a collection of notable and interesting names that is exactly the sort of cast you'd expect to see in a Scorsese movie: Tantoo Cardinal, Cara Jade Myers, Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson, Tatanka Means, Michael Abbott Jr., Pat Healy, Brendan Fraser, John Lithgow, and Katherine Willis.
And, yes, that is the Brendan Fraser working with Scorsese. That's reason enough for us to get in line for the movie!
Robbie Robertson's Final Work
Martin Scorsese and musician Robbie Robertson first collaborated on THE LAST WALTZ, a documentary account of the last performance by Robertson's musical group, The Band. The two worked together on several of Scorsese's films in the decades that followed, with Robertson producing and/or composing scores to films from THE KING OF COMEDY to, most recently, THE IRISHMAN.
Robbie Robertson died in Los Angeles on August 9, 2023. He completed the score for KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON before the movie's premiere at Cannes in May 2023. The score will be Robertson's final film work.
The Osage Nation Supports Killers of the Flower Moon
The development of this movie changed some things from David Grann's original book. Most significantly, the focus shifted from the FBI perspective to that of the character played by Leonardo DiCaprio. That character plays only a minor role in the book, so the character is greatly expanded for the movie.
The upshot of that change is that DiCaprio's character becomes a way for the audience to see more of the workings of the Osage community. Scorsese took the Osage perspective seriously. On April 19, 2021, Scorsese released a statement saying, "We are thrilled to finally start production on ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ in Oklahoma. To be able to tell this story on the land where these events took place is incredibly important and critical to allowing us to portray an accurate depiction of the time and people. We’re grateful to Apple, the Oklahoma Film and Music Office and The Osage Nation, especially all our Osage consultants and cultural advisors, as we prepare for this shoot. We’re excited to start working with our local cast and crew to bring this story to life on screen and immortalize a time in American history that should not be forgotten."
Following the film's Cannes premiere, Jim Gray, former Principal Chief of the Osage Nation, said "I had legitimate concerns that the movie industry might miss the point of the story beyond the violence, and I was fairly outspoken about it when the bidding war for the movie was going on in 2017… To his credit, Scorsese did come and meet privately with descendants like me and others to hear our concerns."
Furthermore, he explained that a Covid-related delay in production allowed that rewrite to happen, and with it the change in perspective. "The Chief appointed representatives to consult with the filmmakers and offered up the reservation to shoot the film on location, use our language speakers, hire our folks in front and behind the camera," Gray explained. "Cultural consultants we're brought to bring the Osage way of life to the film. The dignity and care for the Osage perspective was genuine and honest throughout the process and the Osage responded with the kind of passion and enthusiasm that met this historic moment."
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON opens on October 20.
All images courtesy of Apple and Paramount Pictures.