Oscars buzz blooming for Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon.
Martin Scorsese is no stranger to the Academy Awards and with the 2023-2024 awards season fast approaching, the buzz is blooming for his first ever Western film, Killers of the Flower Moon.
The epic Western crime drama based on David Grann’s non-fiction book 'Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI', investigates a series of murders that plagued the Osage people in Osage County, Oklahoma during the 1920's after valuable oil was discovered on their land.
Scorsese has united his two greatest muses, Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio for this murder mystery, with the two Oscar winners having previously acted together in Michael Caton-Jones’ 1993 drama This Boy’s Life. De Niro stars as William Hale, a powerful rancher who becomes the lead suspect in the FBI’s investigation into the Osage murders, while DiCaprio plays Ernest Burkhart, William’s morally conflicted nephew. Native actress and newcomer Lily Gladstone brims with innocent love and ferocious anger as Ernest's wife Mollie, delivering a performance that’s sure to launch her into Hollywood’s stratosphere – especially as she holds her own against the captivating work of De Niro and DiCaprio.
According to the film's costume designer Jacqueline West, DiCaprio believes Killers of the Flower Moon is his best work yet, “We had lunch before I came here. He said, ‘Jackie, I think we worked on a masterpiece.’ I thought for Leo to say that, was something. He doesn’t say that lightly,” West told Deadline. “He has been in the business since he was a little boy.”
Despite its lengthy run-time, clocking in at 3 hours and 26 minutes, Killers of the Flower Moon is praised for its captivating narrative, remarkable screenplay, outstanding cinematography, and exceptional performance. The film's first premiere at the 76th Cannes Film Festival received glowing reviews, as well as a nine-minute standing ovation at the conclusion of the screening.
Killers of the Flower Moon is now scheduled for a global theatrical release on October 19, 2023. This timeline allows the film ample opportunity to garner recognition and acclaim before the commencement of the Oscar voting period in early March ahead of the ceremony taking place on March 10, 2024.
See Killers of the Flower Moon in cinemas from October 19. Find out more about the Oscars contender here.