- Details
- By Rich Tupica
After months of negotiations, the upcoming Martin Scorsese film Killers Of The Flower Moon, which is centered on decades-old Osage Nation murder cases, will be an Apple original film, but Paramount will still distribute the flick theatrically worldwide. Initially, Netflix was also in talks to distribute the colossal $200 million project, which features an A-list cast, including both Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro in lead roles. While the deal has yet to be officially announced, Deadline is reporting that the “tug of war over one of the highest profile films in Hollywood is about over” after Rick Yorn, the manager of Scorsese and DiCaprio, has allegedly come to an agreement with Apple executives.
Wheeling and dealing with streaming services is nothing new for the iconic director. Scorsese’s last movie, The Irishman, was distributed through Netflix and scored a handful of Academy Award nominations. While it saw a limited run in the theaters, it’s main distribution came from streaming on Netflix. Killers of the Flower Moon, which is based on a 2017 book, is tentatively set for a 2021 release and recounts the story of Osage Nation members who were murdered under mysterious circumstances in the 1920s. The killings sparked a landmark F.B.I. investigation involving J. Edgar Hoover.
Aside from the plot, another American Indian connection to the forthcoming film is legendary musician Robbie Roberton, who is scoring music for Killers of the Flower Moon. The rock icon, who comes from Mohawk and Cayuga descent, spoke last month about the project, as the COVID-19 derailed the film’s production.
“And although everything’s been delayed, I’ve even started some early discovery and thinking of the music for Martin Scorsese’s next movie, Killers of the Flower Moon,” Robertson told Rolling Stone. “It’s an American Indian story, so I’ve got a lot to do on this. And the rest of it, I guess, is just really kind of adapting and dealing with being on house arrest.”
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Seattle Seahawks Tackle Preservation Projects at Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center for Annual Day of Service
Native News Weekly (June 15, 2025): D.C. Briefs
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher