Martin Scorsese‘s latest film, Killers of the Flower Moon, has just set a release date for October 20, per Variety. The wide release will be preceded by a limited opening on October 6. The film is a historical drama focusing on the targeting and murder of members of the oil-rich Osage tribe in Oklahoma in the early 1920s.
Leonardo DiCaprio headlines the ensemble cast that also includes Robert De Niro, Brendan Fraser, Jesse Plemons, Lily Gladstone, and John Lithgow. The film is based on the 2017 non-fiction book Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by journalist David Grann.
The plot centers around a plan to kill members of the Osage tribe in northeastern Oklahoma from 1921-1925. The Osage had become wealthy due to huge oil deposits discovered on their land in the late 19th century. By 1921, envy had boiled over into violence when the body of an Osage woman was found in the woods. Four years later, nearly 60 Osage citizens were dead, and the newly formed FBI was called in to investigate.
Who Are the Characters in Killers of the Flower Moon?
DiCaprio plays Ernest Burkhart, the nephew of wealthy cattleman William Hale (De Niro), who is at the heart of the plot. He is also married to Hale’s niece (Gladstone). Plemons plays Tom White, a former Texas Ranger who assists the FBI in solving the case. Fraser continues his comeback as lawyer W.S Hamilton while Lithgow portrays Leeward, the prosecutor charged with convicting Hale.
Scorsese directs a script written by Eric Roth. Roth’s other writing credits include Forrest Gump, Ali, Munich, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, A Star Is Born, and both Dune films. DiCaprio and Scorsese also serve as producers, along with Dan Friedkin, Emma Tillinger Koskoff, and Bradley Thomas. Filming took place in Osage and Washington counties in Oklahoma. In an effort to cooperate with the Osage tribe, Scorsese cast Indigenous people in the film and even filmed scenes on Osage land.
Festival-goers may have a chance to grab a peek at Killers of the Flower Moon, as the film is expected to premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. And with the assembled cast, there’s no doubt that the film is expected to be a major player come awards season. In the meantime, check out our recent interview with Fraser down below.
Killers of the Flower Moon will be distributed by Apple Original Films, which will stream the film at an unspecified date after release.
