'Killers of the Flower Moon': Martin Scorsese's western drama delayed, fans say 2023 'needed saving from MCU'
Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ is one of the highly anticipated movies of the year and since its inception, the movie has managed to create a lot of buzz. A few months ago it was announced that the western crime drama will be released this Oscar season and every movie critic had already included the title in their early predictions for the 95th Academy Awards. However, it seems that they would have to make changes to their list because Scorsese’s upcoming film is not releasing in 2022.
Yes, you hard it right. The much-awaited movie from Martin Scorsese will be skipping this year’s Oscar race and will be having its world premiere at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. The movie takes place in 1920s Oklahoma and depicts a string of brutal murders of Osage Nation Native Americans, which came to be known as the Reign of Terror. As the death toll rose, the newly-created FBI took up the case and unraveled a spine-chilling conspiracy and one of the monstrous crimes in American history.
RELATED ARTICLES
Brendan Fraser chokes up on learning how fans root for him in moving video: 'Too pure'
The lead role in the film is being played by none other than Jesse Plemons. Meanwhile, other actors to feature in the movie include Leonardo DiCaprio (Ernest Buckhart), Robert De Niro (William Hale), Lily Gladstone (Mollie Buckhart), and Brendan Fraser (WS Hamilton). This will be Scorsese’s 10th feature film collaboration with De Niro since 1973.
Based on the novel of the same name by David Grann, the movie wrapped filming in September 2021 and was touted as one of the frontrunners for Best Picture accolade during this Oscars season. However, sources told Variety that the movie won’t be ready in time because of Scorsese’s vigorous editing process.
As soon as the news surfaced online, social media began speculating why the legendary filmmaker pushed the movie, with some joking that it has something to do with Marvel movies releasing in 2023. One of the social media users said, “He saw how many MCU projects were scheduled for 2023 after SDCC and thought 2023 needed saving”. Meanwhile, one of the ardent Scorsese fans was really disappointed with the news and said that it was his most anticipated movie of the year. He wrote, “I’m going to throw up. Obviously, Scorsese deserves all the time he needs but still deflating. My most anticipated film this year so far.” Another social media user said, “Too bad! I was looking forward to this movie.”
He saw how many mcu projects were scheduled for 2023 after SDCC and thought 2023 needed saving
— lewis 🍿 (@lewisjwr) July 26, 2022
I'm going to throw up. Obviously Scorsese deserves all the time he needs but still deflating. My most anticipated film this year by far. We still have Babylon this year and fingers crossed we still get The Killer by David Fincher.
— Wilfred Bergqvist (@wilfred_bergqvi) July 26, 2022
On the other hand, there were many who couldn’t believe that the movie will take another year to release even when the test screenings took place a while ago and earned rave reactions. One of the fans wrote, “Why? There have already been screenings.” Another social media user wrote, “If this is true, I really don’t understand why? There have already been test screenings that got rave reviews. Next year isn’t gonna be any less crowded. There’s nothing stopping it from having a full theatrical run this year. It just creates time for the excitement to wear off.”
If this is true I really don't understand why. There have already been test screenings that got met with raves. Next year isn't going to be any less crowded. There's nothing stopping it from having a full theatrical run this year. It just creates time for excitement to wear off
— Erik Hurt (@ErikDHurt) July 26, 2022
It’s not the first time a big-budgeted movie has decided to have its premiere at a festival before becoming an Oscar contender. In 2019, Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival before getting a summer release date. The movie went on to earn more than $374 million globally and earned 10 nominations at the Oscars, including Best Picture.
‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ will be Scorsese’s 27th film as a director and has already two more movies in the pipeline. It is also his first movie after 2019’s critically-acclaimed ‘The Irishman’. The Netflix movie went on to earn 10 nominations at the Academy Awards but sadly couldn’t win a single trophy. However, the movie received universal acclaim and became of Netflix’s most-watched titles.