Jason Isbell is speechless in new âKillers of the Flower Moonâ clip
Martin Scorsese’s long-awaited “Killers of the Flower Moon,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, finally hits theaters next week, and we have another look at Alabama-born musician Jason Isbell’s appearance in it, but he has no comment.
Not for this story, but in the clips we’ve seen of him in the film’s marketing so far. The film’s distributor Apple TV+ released some official clips on YouTube this week, including one entitled “Coyote,” which features lead actress Lily Gladstone, who co-stars as Osage women discussing her new love interest played by Leonardo DiCaprio. Sitting to the right of the frame is a snazzily dressed Isbell, in a three-piece suit and fedora, not saying a word during the conversation.
The women’s dialogue is in Osage native language, perhaps explaining Isbell’s silence in that he may not understand what they’re saying or he’s just being respectful. But he does appear to be listening, so we shall see. (Note: We have not read David Grann’s 2017 book of the same name to know how his role will play out in Scorsese’s adaptation.)
Isbell plays a character named Bill Smith. We did not spot him in the first teaser trailer, but he remains listed in the film’s cast, and now we have confirmation he makes the final cut from this scene and the film’s second trailer. It marks his second on-screen credit in a fictional role following an appearance as a wedding guest in “Deadwood: The Movie” back in 2019. Isbell has also appeared as himself on the Showtime series “Billions.”
The film, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May, features the Grammy-winning musician from Green Hill, Ala., in an on-screen role. And it looks like Isbell appears in scenes with DiCaprio, De Niro and the film’s surefire breakout star Gladstone.
The premise, according to Apple’s official website: “At the turn of the 20th century, oil brought a fortune to the Osage Nation, who became some of the richest people in the world overnight. The wealth of these Native Americans immediately attracted white interlopers, who manipulated, extorted and stole as much Osage money as they could before resorting to murder.”
The film explores the “improbable romance” between Ernest Burkhart (DiCaprio) and Mollie Kyle (Gladstone) in what Apple calls “an epic western crime saga, where real love crosses paths with unspeakable betrayal.” The film also stars De Niro, Jesse Plemons, Brendan Fraser, John Lithgow, Isbell, Sturgill Simpson and others.
It marks the sixth collaboration between Scorsese and DiCaprio after “Gangs of New York,” “The Aviator,” “The Departed,” “Shutter Island” and “The Wolf of Wall Street.” It marks the 10th between the director and De Niro after classics like “Mean Streets,” “Taxi Driver,” “Raging Bull” and “Goodfellas.”
In the second trailer, after we learn the premise of the series of murders of the people of the Osage Nation, we see a shot of what appears to be a funeral, with Gladstone and others grieving (with DiCaprio and De Niro) by her side, and Isbell in the foreground to the very right of the widescreen frame.
Jason Isbell (right) co-stars in “Killers of the Flower Moon,” hitting theaters Oct. 20, 2023. The film is directed by Martin Scorsese and co-stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Lily Gladstone. (Apple TV+)
Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” opens in theaters in October 2023. (Apple TV+)
The film’s runtime is 206 minutes. In a recent interview with Deadline, Scorsese was asked about the near 3.5-hour length. He said, “I say to the audience out there, if there is an audience for this kind of thing, ‘Make a commitment. Your life might be enriched. This is a different kind of picture; I really think it is. Well, I’ve given it to you, so hey, commit to going to a theater to see this.’”
Critics have already lavished it with praise. It has a score of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes. The Critics Consensus: “Enormous in runtime, theme, and achievement, ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ is a sobering appraisal of America’s relationship with Indigenous peoples and yet another artistic zenith for Martin Scorsese and his collaborators.”
“Killers of the Flower Moon” will release in theaters everywhere Oct. 20, 2023. It will later stream on Apple TV+. Watch the clip above, and the trailer below.