DirectorMartin Scorsese’s epic crime film,Killers of the Flower Moon, is still breathing at the box office despite beingavailable on digital. The Apple Original, which received a huge theatrical release in something of a first for the studio, has pretty much reached the end of its run. This weekend, the film grossed over half-a-million globally, generating around $400,000 from international territories and roughly $200,000 domestically.
Killers of the Flower Moonhas made a little over$66 million in domestic theatersso far, and another$88 million from overseas territories, for acumulative global haul of $155 million. Produced on a reported budget of $200 million, the film won’t be counted as a theatrical hit, but it was never really meant to be one. Apple is essentially using its theatrical run as advertising for its eventual release on itsApple TV+ streaming service, which should be right around the corner. In a bit of a surprising move,Killers of the Flower Moontook the PVOD routebefore landing on streaming.
StarringLeonardo DiCaprio,Robert De Niro, and the standoutLily Gladstone, the film premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, and opened theatrically to positive reviews a couple of months ago. Apple used the same strategy with directorRidley Scott’s nearly as long, but significantly less well-received historical epic,Napoleon, some weeks later. StarringJoaquin Phoenix,Napoleonhas passed the $170 million mark globally.
‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ Hasn’t Recovered Its $200 Million Budget
Based on the non-fiction bookof the same name by writerDavid Grann, the film’s box office performance is nothing to scoff at, considering the various factors that were working against it. For one, it runsthree and a half hours long, which significantly reduces the number of screenings that can be squeezed in a single day. Secondly,Killers of the Flower Moonis rated R, which also restricts exhibition. But most importantly, the film tackles a particularly dark period in American history, tellingthe grim true-life taleof the systemic murder of Osage Indians a century ago.
Whilereviews for the moviehave been excellent —Killers of the Flower Moonsits at a “fresh” 93% score on the aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes— the film has generated some controversy. Scorseseretooled the film’s original scriptalmost entirely, choosing to discard its planned procedural approach in favor of a more intimate psychological drama. Despite that, complaints have been raised about its perceived sympathetic portrayal of DiCaprio’s murderous character. you may watchKillers of the Flower Moonin theaters and at home, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Killers of the Flower Moon
When oil is discovered in 1920s Oklahoma under Osage Nation land, the Osage people are murdered one by one - until the FBI steps in to unravel the mystery.
