Martin Scorsese on Why He Focused on a Love Story in Killers of the Flower Moon

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Martin Scorsese on Why He Focused on a Love Story in Killers of the Flower Moon

Killers of the Flower Moon, the epic Western crime drama by Martin Scorsese, is based on David Grann’s 2017 book of the same name about the mysterious murders of the Osage people in Oklahoma during the 1920s. The book also explores the birth of the Bureau of Investigation, now known as the FBI. But in the film adaptation, Scorsese shifts the focus from the birth of the FBI to the love story between Leonardo DiCaprio’s Ernest Burkhart and Lily Gladstone’s Mollie Burkhart.

While speaking with TIME, Scorsese mentioned how DiCaprio was supposed to play Tom White, the bureau’s lawman who investigates the murders. After speaking with DiCaprio, Scorsese realized framing the film through the FBI was the wrong approach.

“After a certain point, I realized I was making a movie about all the white guys,” Scorsese said. “Meaning I was taking the approach from the outside in, which concerned me.”

DiCaprio left the role to play Burkhart, and Jesse Plemons was brought in to play White. The change also allowed Gladstone to play a more prominent role, and Scorsese described her performance as having “a fierceness and serenity at the same time.”

What to Expect in Killers of the Flower Moon?

DiCaprio, Gladstone, and Plemeons star alongside Robert De Niro, Tantoo Cardinal, John Lithgow, Brendan Fraser, Cara Jade Myers, JaNae Collins, Jillian Dion, Jason Isbell, and Sturgill Simpson.

“At the turn of the 20th century, oil brought a fortune to the Osage Nation, who became some of the richest people in the world overnight. The wealth of these Native Americans immediately attracted white interlopers, who manipulated, extorted, and stole as much Osage money as they could before resorting to murder,” the official synopsis reads. “Based on a true story and told through the improbable romance of Ernest Burkhart (DiCaprio) and Mollie Kyle (Gladstone), Killers of the Flower Moon is an epic western crime saga, where real love crosses paths with unspeakable betrayal.”

Killers of the Flower Moon is directed and produced by Scorsese, who co-wrote the script with Eric Roth. Dan Friedkin, Bradley Thomas, and Daniel Lupi are producers, with DiCaprio, John Atwood, Marianne Bower, Lisa Frechette, Niels Juul, Shea Kammer, Adam Somner, and Rick Yorn serving as executive producers.

Apple Original Films and Paramount Pictures will release Killers of the Flower Moon in theaters on October 20, 2023. The film will steam to Apple TV+ at a later date.