Killers of the Flower Moon Adaptation (2023): Everything We Know So Far About The Stunning New Movie

The Killers of the Flower Moon adaptation, based on the book by David Grann, is headed for the big screen. There are some big names attached to this project, which is based on a true story about the Osage Murders and the birth of the FBI. Members of the Osage Nation have been involved in the making of the movie.
 
Don’t forget to check out the masterlist of all the EWKSF adaptation posts here on Alison in Libraryland!
 
This page was updated: 5/18/23
 

About The Book:

In the 1920s, the richest people per capita in the world were members of the Osage Indian Nation in Oklahoma. After oil was discovered beneath their land, the Osage rode in chauffeured automobiles, built mansions, and sent their children to study in Europe.
 
Then, one by one, they began to be killed off. One Osage woman, Mollie Burkhart, watched as her family was murdered. Her older sister was shot. Her mother was then slowly poisoned. And it was just the beginning, as more Osage began to die under mysterious circumstances.
 
In this last remnant of the Wild West—where oilmen like J. P. Getty made their fortunes and where desperadoes such as Al Spencer, “the Phantom Terror,” roamed – virtually anyone who dared to investigate the killings were themselves murdered. As the death toll surpassed more than twenty-four Osage, the newly created F.B.I. took up the case, in what became one of the organization’s first major homicide investigations. But the bureau was then notoriously corrupt and initially bungled the case. Eventually the young director, J. Edgar Hoover, turned to a former Texas Ranger named Tom White to try to unravel the mystery. White put together an undercover team, including one of the only Native American agents in the bureau. They infiltrated the region, struggling to adopt the latest modern techniques of detection. Together with the Osage they began to expose one of the most sinister conspiracies in American history.
 
bookshop.org // Amazon // Audiobook
 

Current Production Status:

Post-production as of January 2022.
 

Killers of the Flower Moon Adaptation Timeline:

In early 2016, almost a year before the book was even released, there was a bidding war for the film rights. The book was then published in April 2017. That same month it was revealed that Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro were considering involvement in the film.
Originally production was scheduled to start on the Killers of the Flower Moon adaptation in 2018 with DiCaprio starring but after months of delays it was announced that Scorsese would be completing The Irishman first.
In 2019 Paramount Pictures was announced as the distributer. Later that year Scorsese made trips to Oklahoma to meet with the Osage Nation Chiefs to discuss their involvement.
Filming was supposed to begin in Spring 2020 before being postponed indefinitely by the Covid pandemic. With concerns about the budget Apple TV was brought on to co-finance and co-distribute the film in May 2020.
February 2021 it was announced that Jesse Plemons was being added to the cast and would be taking over as lead with Dicaprio moving to a smaller role. In April filming officially began and ran through September with wrap called on October 2021.
In an interview released February 2022, one of the screenwriters said that the Killers of the Flower Moon adaptation was scheduled for a November release.
However, in July there were rumors that the film would be held back and wait for a Cannes 2023 premiere.
 
It was confirmed in March 2023 that the film would be premiering at Cannes in May and then releasing in theaters in October.
 
At CinemaCon in April 2023 the first look images were released publicly and attendees got to see a trailer.
 

Who Owns The Rights:

Paramount Pictures and Apple TV are both producing the film with Paramount handling theater distribution and Apple having streaming distribution rights.
 

Who Is Attached:

Jesse Plemons, Leonardo DiCaprio, Brendan Fraser, Robert De Niro have all joined the cast.
Martin Scorsese is directing the film.
 

Filming Locations:

This project filmed in multiple cities/places around Oklahoma including Tulsa, Osage County, Pawhuska, Bartlesville, and Fairfax.
 

Estimated Release:

On October 6th, 2023 the film will be releasing in select theaters before going wide in the United States on October 20th.

 
Previous mentions on AiLL: 2022 Books To Screen Adaptations
 
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Happy Reading!!
~Alison

Killers of the Flower Moon adaptation: Everything We Know So Far

 
Hi there! I’m Alison in Libraryland, and I’ll be here for all your book related needs. Many of you know me as the girl with the book recommendations. Don’t be shy! Ask me! If you’re looking for a good book or movie adaptation, let me help you find it. I’ll be here for all your literary needs. This is a book blog run on an obsession for shiny new books, worn-through old classics, and all attempts at moving those stories to the screen, like the Killers of the Flower Moon Adaptation😉