Martin Scorsese's 'Killers of the Flower Moon' Already Looks Like a Hit

Director Martin Scorsese's upcoming film Killers of the Flower Moon is based on the book of the same name by journalist and author David Grann. The flick will feature many of Hollywood's A-list actors.

The movie will include actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Jesse Plemons, Robert De Niro, and Brendan Fraser. What are some of the filming locations? Here's what we know.

The COVID-19 pandemic messed up many of Hollywood's best-laid plans and delayed filming for large productions, including Killers of the Flower Moon. IndieWire reported that filming would take place in the heart of Osage Nation in Oklahoma. The film centers around the murders of Osage tribe members in the 1920s, which attracted the attention of the newly created FBI.

As a result, Osage News reported that pre-pandemic, the production team from Killers of the Flower Moon was interested in including as many "Osage artisans, cooks, language speakers, homeowners, landowners, and others" to work on the film. Killers of the Flower Moon also features Native American cast members Lily Gladstone, Tantoo Cardinal, and Tatanka Means.

After a slow start due to the COVID-19 pandemic, principal photography began on April 19, 2021, and was set to last for seven months (roughly through October 2021). IndieWire later reported Martin Scorsese's official statement announcing the beginning of production.

Martin said, "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."

Dedication to historical and cultural accuracy dictated that filming would take place primarily in Osage County, namely in Pawhuska, Fairfax, and Bartlesville.

Killers of the Flower Moon is an adaptation of David Grann's book of the same name, which is non-fiction and was heavily researched by the author. David Grann, whose experience with non-fiction work also extends to his hit The Lost City of Z, said he was inspired to tell this story after visiting an Osage museum in Oklahoma.

David told PBS in 2018, "[W]hen I was at the museum, there was this great photograph on the wall that was taken in 1924. And it showed members of the Osage Nation with white settlers ... But I noticed that a portion of the photograph was missing. And I asked the then museum director what had happened to it. And she said it had contained a figure so frightening that she decided to remove it. And she then pointed to the missing panel. And she said, the devil was standing right there."

David continued, "The book grew out of trying to understand who that figure was. And she went down into the basement. And she brought up an image of the missing panel. And it contained an image of one of the killers of the Osage who had murdered many of them for their oil money."

The book ultimately took David five years of researching and writing, speaking to descendants of the victims and the murderers, and trying to accurately portray the depth of what had happened. Fans of both the book and the film should look forward to the dedication from all parties to tell this story in an impactful and accurate way.

After the production delays and difficulties, there is finally a release date for Killers of the Flower Moon. Originally, it was set to hit the screen on Oct. 6, 2023, in a limited released, but it was pushed back to Oct. 20, 2023. Along with the date change, the movie will also hit theaters globally all together.