Director Martin Scorsese’s upcoming film Killers of the Flower Moon is based on the book of the same name by journalist David Grann. The flick will feature many of Hollywood’s A-list, including actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Jesse Plemons, Robert De Niro, and Brendan Fraser. Killers of the Flower Moon is currently filming, but here are some of the filming locations, revealed.
‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ was supposed to begin production in February, but it was pushed back to April.
The coronavirus pandemic has 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 attract the attention of the newly created F.B.I.
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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.
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After a slow start due to the coronavirus pandemic, principal photography began on April 19, 2021, and is 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.”
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Source: Twitter
Dedication to historical and cultural accuracy dictated that filming would take place primarily in Osage County, namely in Pawhuska, Fairfax, and Bartlesville. No official stills from the film have been released yet, save for one of Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone, so fans have been relying on Twitter photos for first glimpses.
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Is ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ based on a true story?
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.
Source: Twitter
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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.”
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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.”
Source: Twitter
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.