Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” Will Now Have Simultaneous Global Release

Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, easily one of the most eagerly anticipated films of the year, has decided against a limited release in early October in favor of a simultaneous global release later that month.

Apple Studios announced that Scorsese’s historical crime drama, based on investigative journalist David Grann’s masterful 2017 book, will premiere worldwide on October 20, with a streaming release on Apple TV+ at some point after that. Scorsese’s film stars his longtime collaborators, Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, along with Lily Gladstone, Jesse Plemmons, Tantoo Cardinal, John Lithgow, Brendan Fraser, Cara Jade Myers, and more.

Apple Studios didn’t specify exactly why they’ve made the decision to eschew the limited release and opt for a global release, but the obvious culprit is the SAG-AFRTA strike that has affected actors’ ability to promote their films. Without stars like DiCaprio, De Niro, and rising star Gladstone able to promote Scorsese’s latest, a single wide release should make for a bigger splash and give the Oscar-hopeful plenty of buzz rather than an initial limited release.

Killers of the Flower Moon is centered on a series of murders by white settlers of members of the Osage Nation of Oklahoma, whose land lies on massive oil fields and who have become, practically overnight, some of the wealthiest people in the country. Scorsese’s sweeping crime saga was met with a nine-minute standing ovation when it had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, where Gladstone came in for special attention for her stunning portrayal of Mollie Burkhart, an Osage Nation member who marries Ernest Burkhart (DiCaprio), one of the white settlers at the center of the murder mystery.

Killers of the Flower Moon is already considered to be a major player come awards season, and its global release, now in the middle of a fall movie season in major flux, will be one of the most keenly watched releases of the year.

For more on Killers of the Flower Moon, check out these stories:

“Killers of the Flower Moon” Trailer Unveils Martin Scorsese’s Star-Studded Epic

Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” Will Premiere at Cannes

Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” Gets Fall Release From Apple

John Lithgow Joins Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon”

Featured image: Lily Gladstone and Leonardo DiCaprio in “Killers of the Flower Moon,” coming soon to Apple TV+.