Unveiling the Remarkable Journey Behind Killers of the Flower Moon: How 7 Years of Development Elevated Martin Scorsese's Masterpiece

Summary

The advantageous seven-year development timeline of Martin Scorsese's film, Killers of the Flower Moon, played a crucial role in enabling the director to delve into uncharted territories, ultimately bringing his vision to complete fruition.

Scorsese's reputation for meticulous film development is evident in his body of work, with some of his most highly regarded pieces taking a decade or longer to reach completion. Killers of the Flower Moon serves as the most recent testament to Scorsese's deliberate approach, and the favorable reviews only reinforce the notion that the extended wait was truly justified.

In a recent interview with IndieWire, Martin Scorsese, the legendary filmmaker behind Killers of the Flower Moon, discussed how the seven-year development process of the film proved to be incredibly beneficial. Scorsese, who both produced and directed the movie, revealed that his original vision for the film underwent significant changes over time. The extended production period provided valuable opportunities to refine and explore new directions. With an exceptional cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, and Lily Gladstone, among others, Killers of the Flower Moon delves into the disturbing mistreatment and killings of members of the Midwestern Osage nation, prompting a high-profile FBI investigation.

At that point, we came to the realization that the direction we were heading in was not something we wanted to pursue. As a result, I believe the film would not have been made with myself and Leo involved. Leo holds great importance to me, specifically in terms of which character he would portray. While I may have enjoyed exploring the Texas Rangers in the past, my current age does not lend itself well to that. If this were 20 or 25 years ago, I would have been more inclined to delve into the American West from a European American perspective. This does not mean it would have been a glorification or revisionist take, but rather an honest examination. However, my perspective has evolved over the years. When I was in my late twenties and early thirties in the 1970s, I began to realize that the Western genre, as I had envisioned it, had been crafted with a specific philosophy and political standpoint in the beautiful and exceptional films produced by Hollywood studios during the 1940s and 1950s.

Martin Scorsese Has Historically Taken His Time When Developing Movies

Martin Scorsese has emerged as a prominent figure in the New Hollywood era over the last few decades. With his directorial debut in 1967's powerful and heartfelt "Who's That Knocking at My Door," the 80-year-old filmmaker has amassed an impressive body of work. He has directed 26 feature films and 16 documentaries, earning numerous prestigious awards and solidifying his status as one of the most influential filmmakers of his generation.

Scorsese is known for his meticulous approach to filmmaking, often taking years to develop and produce his iconic works. A prime example is "The Irishman," which began its development in 2007 and was not released until 2019. This deliberate process allows him to fully conceptualize and craft his movies, resulting in some of his most celebrated and beloved creations. The upcoming film "Killers of The Flower Moon" follows in this tradition.

Scorsese's more recent work, "Silence," is based on Japanese author Shūsaku Endo's 1966 novel of the same name. It took an astonishing 25 years to develop before premiering in 2016. This passion project had been in development since 1990, showcasing Scorsese's dedication to bringing his ideas to life over several years. The success of "Killers of the Flower Moon" is further evidence of his ability to deliver exceptional work, as it took seven years to develop and has received rave reviews.