Martin Scorsese has been wowing moviegoers with his most recent film, Killers of the Flower Moon, which hit theaters on Oct. 20. Though its $44 million opening weekend haul couldn't topple the juggernaut that is Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour movie, Killers of the Flower Moon is doing incredibly well for itself — especially considering a long runtime of three-and-a-half hours. And the reviews have been glowing, making it a contender for the best Scorsese movies.
Still, this type of cinematic epic might be better experienced by many moviegoers in the comfort of their own homes. While Scorsese is a vocal supporter of the cinematic experience, he'd probably understand if you wanted to enjoy the flick with your own food and snacks and the ability to pause to go to the bathroom whenever you want.
Scorsese's last film, 2019's The Irishman, went to Netflix. This time around, Killers of the Flower Moon will be exclusive to Apple TV Plus. When can you expect it to hit the streaming service? Here's what we're thinking.
When will Killers of the Flower Moon stream on Apple TV Plus?
Apple Studios financed and produced Killers of the Flower Moon, but the tech giant is treating the Scorsese film differently than previous releases like the Oscar-winning CODA.
Apple partnered with Paramount to release Killers of the Flower Moon in theaters. The terms of that deal, as reported by the New York Times and Bloomberg, will keep it from streaming on Apple TV for at least 45 days.
Apple made similar deals with Sony Pictures for the upcoming Napoleon biopic and Universal Pictures for the spy caper Argylle. As Paramount did with Killers of the Flower Moon, the studios will share marketing costs with Apple and handle distribution.
Still, even the 45-day window isn't guaranteed; don't completely count on Killers of the Flower Moon streaming on Apple TV Plus on December 4. Much will depend on how the theatrical release performs.
Killers of the Flower Moon reportedly cost between $200 million and $250 million in production costs, part of which even deep-pocketed Apple will want to recoup. This summer, Oppenheimer showed that a serious, R-rated movie can be a hit after earning $942 million worldwide — all theatrically since Oppenheimer isn't streaming yet.
While its opening weekend box office wasn't huge, Scorsese's movies tend to have a long shelf life. If Killers of the Flower Moon can keep making money in theaters for a number of weeks, it may not stream on Apple TV Plus until mid to late December.
