After months of speculation, we now know when Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” drama is coming to theaters.
And we only have a little more than six months to wait. According to Paramount and Apple, who are co-releasing the film, first theatrically and then on streaming, the maestro’s new ‘Flower Moon,’ film is set to arrive in select theaters on October 6 before expanding for a wide release on October 20. So, we finally have a date for what is going to likely be the year’s most anticipated release (see our Most Anticipated Films of 2023 feature here).
READ MORE: Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers Of The Flower Moon’ Might Premiere At Cannes 2023 In May
In addition, a separate Variety interview with Cannes director Thierry Fremaux confirms that organizers for the festival are “in discussions” to bring ‘Killers’ to France this spring. The hold-up seems to be whether or not Cannes can convince Scorsese to attend the event to promote his film. Apparently, if there’s no Scorsese, Cannes just isn’t interested, and that’s usually how that ballgame is played.
Either way, October is a perfect awards month. If Cannes doesn’t work out, the October date will work perfectly with the New York Film Festival, which typically runs from late September to early October (this year, right on cue: September 30-October 16). In fact, one would say if the Cannes debut pan out, NYFF is a very safe bet. The filmmaker and the festival have a very long working relationship: they’ve premiered his most recent documentary, “Personality Crisis: One Night Only,” they debuted “The Irishman,” “Hugo,” “George Harrison: Living in the Material World” and if the timing is right, NYFF always seems to get first dibs. And the timing for this one is super perfect (presume it’ll screen there regardless if it shows up at Cannes or not).
“Killers Of The Flower Moon” centers on a series of 1920s Oklahoma murders in the Osage Nation committed after oil was discovered on tribal land. Leonardo DiCaprio, who also serves as producer, stars alongside Robert De Niro, Jesse Plemons, Lily Gladstone, and Brendan Fraser. The film marks the seventh collaboration between Scorsese and DiCaprio as well as the eleventh collaboration between Scorsese and De Niro.
John Lithgow, Tantoo Cardinal, Pat Healy, musicians Jack White, Jason Isbell, and Sturgill Simpson are also among the names of what is supposed to be a huge cast and a costly film (said to be in the neighborhood of $200 million). It’s a big prestige drama play all the way, and Paramount and Apple are definitely banking on it being a frontrunner in the 2023/2024 Oscar race. More when we know it.