Martin Scorsese is in full swing preparing his new film, Killers of the Flower Moon. It is a film based on David Grann’s non-fiction account of the serial murder of members of the oil-wealthy Osage Nation in 1920s Oklahoma which became known as The Reign of Terror. The screenplay for the movie is written by Eric Roth (Munich, The Insider, Forrest Gump), and is being made for Apple Films.
As usual, Scorsese was able to secure a star-studded cast, that includes some of his ‘usual suspects.’ Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Ernest Burkhart, the nephew of a powerful local rancher played by Robert De Niro, while Jesse Plemons plays the FBI agent investigating the murders. Isbell, in his first real acting role, will play Bill Smith who is an adversary of Dicaprio’s character, while Simpson will play a rodeo star and infamous bootlegger Henry Grammer.
The two Country/Americana music stars and Grammy-winners are to join the cast of the film along with Lily Gladstone, Tantoo Cardinal, Cara Jade Myers, William Belleau, Louis Cancelmi, JaNae Collins, and Jillian Dion.
This is Isbell’s first speaking role, he did have a cameo in the 2019 Deadwood movie. On Twitter, he simply remarked, “When I say I am EXCITED.” Simpson, meanwhile, has had roles in Queen and Slim and Jim Jarmusch’s The Dead Don’t Die.