Apple TV+ dropped the official trailer Wednesday for its upcoming historical drama Killers of the Flower Moon. The sprawling period piece is filled with the rage and bloodshed of one of America’s most-enduring murder mysteries.
Based on a nonfiction account of a deadly conspiracy by white men to capture oil wealth held by the Osage Indian nation members in early-1900s Oklahoma, the Marin Scorsese film counts Leonardo Di Caprio and Robert De Niro among its sprawling cast.
DiCaprio and De Niro aren’t the good guys in violent Killers of the Flower Moon trailer
I recently read Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, the 2017 nonfiction book by journalist David Grann that serves as the source material for Scosese’s new Apple Originals movie, due out in October. I’ll be curious about how the venerated director pulls off adapting the deeply researched, complex story.
It covers action over decades, from when the Osage were forced onto poor land that turned out to conceal oil in the early 20th century, to a series of murders of Osage members and their heirs through the 1920s and ’30s. A conspiracy to steal Indians’ oil money was suspected, but how far did it go?
Then just establishing what would become the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover sent agents to try to figure out what was going on and give his new federal police force a big win and much-needed credibility.
Here’s how Apple TV+ describes the movie:
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.
Based on a true story and told through the improbable romance of Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Mollie Kyle (Lily Gladstone), “Killers of the Flower Moon” is an epic western crime saga, where real love crosses paths with unspeakable betrayal. Also starring Robert De Niro and Jesse Plemons, “Killers of the Flower Moon” is directed by Academy Award winner Martin Scorsese from a screenplay by Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese, based on David Grann’s bestselling book.
Sprawling cast
The cast isn’t limited to its famous members, of course. DiCaprio plays Ernest Burkhardt, who marries Osage member Molly Burkhardt (Lily Gladstone) and becomes involved with De Niro, who plays the prominent white civic leader who may be right at the root of all evil, William Hale.
But the movie also features Jessie Plemons as Agent Tom White, Brendan Fraser as W.S. Hamilton, Native American actors like Larry Sellers and Tatanka Means. Even notable American singer-songwriters Sturgill Simpson and Jason Isbell play roles, as well.
Watch the trailer
Get Apple TV+
Apple TV+ is available by subscription for $6.99 with a seven-day free trial. You can also get it via any tier of the Apple One subscription bundle. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac or iPod touch can enjoy three months of Apple TV+ for free.
After first airing in November 2019, “Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have been honored with 299 wins and 1,451 award nominations and counting,” the service said.
Those include multi-Emmy Award-winning comedy Ted Lasso and historic Oscar Best Picture winner CODA.
