Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Scorsese's 'Killers of the Flower Moon' acquired by Apple

Killers of the Flower Moon is an upcoming film by Martin Scorsese and stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro in pivotal roles. Killers of the Flower Moon was looking for a new production company. Now, it is reported that Apple will close the deal on its rights with Paramount as a joining partner. 

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Apple to finance Killers of the Flower Moon

With names like Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon is among the highest-profile upcoming films in Hollywood. Now Apple will bankroll the movie, taking it over from Paramount studio, as per reports. The latter is yet to sign on the dotted line as the deal is still in making. The film will be an Apple original and Paramount will distribute it theatrically around the globe.

Killers of the Flower Moon is based on David Grann’s best-selling non-fiction book of 2007 with the same name. Earlier, Paramount acquired the rights from Imperative Entertainments who reportedly paid $5 million to adapt the book. Then, Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio were bought in with Robert De Niro joining later.

In April 2020, it was reported that Paramount Studio was concerned with the increasing cost of filming as it reached $200 million mark and it liked the original draft as compared to the rewrite. The studio was then looking for a new financial partner. Once it was in the market, several big studios like Universal and MGM along with OTT platforms such as Netflix and Apple were in a bidding war.

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Now Apple has finally acquired the rights from Paramount studios. It will finance the movie and have a creative hold over it. Paramount will still remain a partner on the project. The deal is said to be a big positive for the film as it would not face a financial problem and will get a wider release.

Killers of the Flower Moon will stream on Apple TV+ following its theatrical release. With that, it would mark the biggest deal for Apple and its consecutive second huge movie deal. Recently, Apple bought Greyhound starring Tom Hanks, who also penned down the movie, which will directly stream on Apple TV+ missing its theatrical release due to coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic.

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Killers of the Flower Moon tells the story of the 1920s Osage murders when several Native Americans of the Osage Nation were killed after oil deposits were discovered beneath their Oklahoma land. The murders lead the then-newly formed FBI to investigate the case. 

It would mark the first film to features the trio of Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro together. Scorsese has worked with both DiCaprio and De Niro in several acclaimed films while the two actors have appeared together in This Boy’s Life (1993).

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