Killers Of The Flower Moon - Release Date, Cast, Plot, Trailer And More Info
Now that "Barbenheimer" mania has had its time, many will be wondering how the rest of 2023 could possibly live up to that singular cultural event. But if anyone can match the hype of Christopher Nolan and Greta Gerwig's cinematic duel, it's Martin Scorsese. Arguably our greatest living director, Scorsese is set to return later this year with what has to be easily one of the most anticipated movies of 2023: "Killers of the Flower Moon."
Adapted from journalist David Grann's book "Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI," this retelling of a shameful moment in American history will explore the murder of numerous indigenous members of the Osage nation in early 20th Century Oklahoma, and it looks to be a dark and sobering entry in Scorsese's canon. Considering the true story behind "Killers of the Flower Moon" is precisely that — dark and sobering — it's a good thing the seasoned director hasn't shied away from depicting the unsettling nature of this particular episode in history.
With that said, there's still plenty of time before "Killers of the Flower Moon" hits theaters. With the 80-year-old Scorsese previously telling Deadline that he "wants to tell stories, and there's no more time," there's more reason than ever to keep up to date with the director's chosen efforts. Luckily, we've rounded up everything you need to know about "Killers of the Flower Moon," so you can be fully prepared to witness the cinematic glory when the film finally arrives.
What's the release date for Killers of the Flower Moon?
After several pandemic-related delays and some behind the scenes difficulties that further set the production schedule back, "Killers of the Flower Moon" is finally set for a U.S. theatrical release on October 20, 2023. It's also been confirmed that "Killers" will be released in IMAX theaters, allowing Martin Scorsese's latest to play out on the biggest screens possible. (Earlier plans for a limited release beginning on October 6 were scrapped, possibly because the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike would prevent the cast from promoting the film during that window.)
The film previously premiered at the 76th Cannes Film Festival back in May, 2023, where it reportedly enjoyed a nine-minute standing ovation. Unsurprisingly, given that reception, "Killers of the Flower Moon" earned widespread praise among those who saw it, including /Film's own Lex Briscuso, who was impressed with Scorsese's cautionary masterpiece.
But what about those aforementioned production delays? Well, the film is being financed by Apple as part of its Original Films division, but is being distributed in theaters by Paramount — Scorsese's longtime studio partner. Per The Hollywood Reporter, at one point, the movie was supposed to be solely funded and released by Paramount, before script changes prompted the studio to shop the movie around and Apple stepped in to provide the financing. While the particulars of this whole debacle aren't important at this stage, it's worth mentioning, because Apple will now be able to offer "Killers of the Flower Moon" on its AppleTV+ streaming service at some point following its theatrical release. Just when that will be remains uncertain, but look out for official announcements in the near future.
What are the plot details of Killers of the Flower Moon?
With "Killers of the Flower Moon," Martin Scorsese has adapted David Grann's nonfiction book of the same name into a moody western crime epic. The book itself is an investigation into the killing of numerous Osage people in the 1920s, after large oil deposits were discovered on their land. The Oklahoma Historical Society states that, while estimates vary, "approximately twenty-four Osage Indians died violent or suspicious deaths during the early 1920s." Grann's book retells how the FBI's investigation of the crimes placed the blame on affluent rancher William "King" Hale, who was convicted of orchestrating a plot to steal the wealth of the Osage tribe by murdering various members.
Initially, Scorsese's adaptation was going to focus more heavily on the birth of the FBI, who were known as the Bureau of Investigation at the time. But following meetings with the Osage Nation of today, the director incorporated much of their feedback into his film, leading to what co-star Lily Gladstone told Variety was "a different movie than the one [Scorsese] walked in to make."
When "Killers of the Flower Moon" debuts, expect a nuanced, 206-minute exploration of Hale's perverse plot that doesn't shy away from depicting the brutality and wickedness of his deeds, as well as the sheer greed and corruption brought to the Osage Nation by outsiders interested in extorting as much wealth from the tribe as they could. As Apple puts it in the film's official synopsis, this story will also be "told through the improbable romance of Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Mollie Kyle (Gladstone)," the former of which was Hale's nephew and the latter a member of the Osage people.
Who is the cast of Killers of the Flower Moon?
The two big leads in "Killers of the Flower Moon" are Robert De Niro, who plays rancher and businessman William Hale, and Leonardo DiCaprio, who portrays his nephew Ernest Burkhart. This marks the first time the two longtime Scorsese collaborators are appearing in one of the director's feature films together (2015's meta comedy short "The Audition" aside). According to early buzz surrounding "Killers of the Flower Moon," both stars deliver powerful performances.
That also goes for the supporting cast, which includes Lily Gladstone in the role of Mollie Kyle, an Osage native and wife to DiCaprio's Burkhart. Gladstone caused a small stir with her role in Kelly Reichardt's 2016 indie effort "Certain Women," and the native American actor is already receiving praise for her performance in "Killers of the Flower Moon."
Rounding out the central cast is Jesse Plemons in the role of Texas Ranger-turned BOI agent Tom White, who's brought to the Osage Nation to investigate the ongoing killings. Plemons appeared in Scorsese's previous film "The Irishman," and he will be taking on the role originally intended for DiCaprio in "Killers of the Flower Moon." As IndieWire reported, White was written for DiCaprio before the star decided he'd rather play a secondary lead, leaving the role open for Plemons. Elsewhere, the film features Tantoo Cardinal as Lizzie Q, Mollie's mother, John Lithgow as the prosecutor in the case against William Hale, and Brendan Fraser as Hale's lawyer W. S. Hamilton.
As Deadline reported back in March 2021, Scorsese cast several other indigenous actresses including Cara Jade Myers, JaNae Collins and Jillian Dion, who play Mollie's sisters, Anna, Reta and Minnie.
Who is the director of Killers of the Flower Moon?
This one's no secret. Before he goes off and fulfills his plans to make another movie about Jesus, Martin Scorsese will deliver a dark period piece in the form of "Killers of the Flower Moon." The revered filmmaker also co-wrote the script and produced the film and has said he wanted to understand complicity in genocide with his latest effort.
It seems the Academy Award-winning director has made sure to craft a film that's sensitive to the plight of Osage people, with a former Osage Nation chief praising Scorsese and his work on the film. Jim Gray, ex-Principal Chief of the Osage Nation, took to Twitter to extol "Killers of the Flower Moon," highlighting Scorsese's willingness to engage with descendents of the Osage tribe and calling the final result "excellent."
That certainly seems to match what critics who've seen the film are saying, which suggests Scorsese hasn't gotten any less sharp with age, and continues to showcase his evolution as a filmmaker.
Who are the writers and producers of Killers of the Flower Moon?
"Killers of the Flower Moon" was written by "Forrest Gump," and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" screenwriter Eric Roth, who worked alongside Martin Scorsese on the film's script. Roth, who also wrote 2021's "Dune," has claimed that "Killers" will be "like nothing we've ever seen." The writer also told Collider, "I think [of] all my work, this one could be one of the great movies. I really mean that. I think it has all the ingredients, which I don't want to jinx it, but the story is so important."
Scorsese's Sikelia Productions and Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way Productions are producing the film, alongside Imperative Entertainment. Dan Friedkin and Bradley Thomas, who both produced Clint Eastwood crime drama "The Mule," are on producing duties, alongside Daniel Lupi, who fittingly worked on another dark western crime epic in the form of 2007's "There Will Be Blood." DiCaprio is also executive producing alongside Rick Yorn ("The Wolf of Wall Street"), Adam Somner ("Licorice Pizza"), Marianne Bower ("Shutter Island"), Lisa Frechette ("The Irishman"), John Atwood ("All the Money in the World"), Shea Kammer ("Raymond & Ray"), and Niels Juul ("The Irishman").
Has Killers of the Flower Moon released a trailer?
We've already had a good look at Martin Scorsese's bleakly beautiful vision via a couple of trailers that arrived in 2023. Apple dropped the first teaser trailer for "Killers of the Flower Moon" back in May of this year, which as well as showcasing some of the powerhouse performances critics have been raving about, perfectly set the ominous tone we're expecting from Scorsese's latest. Cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto looks to have shot a hauntingly elegant movie based on the footage in the trailer, which promises a movie that looks as good as its $200 million budget would suggest.
Then, in July 2023, the theatrical trailer for "Killers of the Flower Moon" arrived, revealing more about Robert De Niro's William Hale and Leonardo DiCaprio's Ernest Burkhart and their scheme to steal money from the Osage people by way of murder. As you might expect, the main trailer explained much more about the movie's plot, with De Niro's Hale briefly explaining how the Osage people became wealthy from the "black gold" that was discovered beneath their land, before proclaiming that "their time is over." We're then shown a series of killings and explosions as DiCaprio's Burkhart wrestles with the weight of his involvement in his uncle's scheme and the love he has for his Osage wife.
While dark and dramatic in its own way, the main trailer struck a more upbeat tone than the teaser, suggesting Scorsese's moody crime drama won't be entirely devoid of action. Nor humor, for that matter, as evidenced by Jesse Plemons' back and forth with DiCaprio, which sees Buckhart question Tom White on what exactly he's intending "see about" with regards to the murders, and ends with Plemons' deadpan delivery of the line, "See who's doing it."
What is Killers of the Flower Moon rated?
Considering "Killers of the Flower Moon" is based on a true story that involved dozens of native people being murdered, it shouldn't be too surprising that the MPA gave the film an R rating. Specifically, the organization cited "violence, some grisly images, and language" as reasons for their rating, which sounds about right based on what we know about this story.
There are plenty of reasons Hollywood keeps turning to "Killers" author David Grann, one of which is that the journalist seems to like exploring some of the darker moments in history and doesn't shy away from revealing the often harrowing developments he uncovers in the process. That meant that "Killers of the Flower Moon" was never going to be a family friendly affair, and if anything the R-rating is reassuring in that it suggests Scorsese has similarly stuck to depicting the unpleasant truth of this ghastly episode in American history.