Jodie Foster Shares Thoughts on Why Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ Might Fit Better as an 8-Hour Streaming Series
Jodie Foster Suggests Streaming Format for Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’
Oscar-winning actress and director Jodie Foster recently expressed her belief that Martin Scorsese’s 2023 film Killers of the Flower Moon would have been more effectively presented as an eight-hour streaming series rather than its current three-and-a-half-hour runtime. Foster made these remarks during a conversation at the Marrakech Film Festival, where she received a tribute award.
Foster reflected on the evolving landscape of cinema, noting her appreciation for the streaming format, particularly after her experience on the anthology series True Detective. She proposed that the storytelling potential in streaming has surpassed that of mainstream theatrical features.
"Streaming is able to do things that we’re not able to do in traditional mainstream movies anymore," she stated. "Real narrative now in the United States is on streaming. Big franchise superhero movies are what you see in the movie theaters, but the real, real narrative is on streaming."
She elaborated on the industry’s bifurcation into mainstream Hollywood productions and independent films, asserting that streaming allows for more comprehensive storytelling. "You’re able to tell eight-hour stories, or five-season stories, where you can explore every angle in a way that you could never in a feature. I love the freedom of that," she said.
Foster used Killers of the Flower Moon, based on David Grann’s book about the murders of Osage tribe members in 1920s Oklahoma, as an example. She suggested that greater narrative depth could have been achieved through a longer series format. "He wanted to explore the experience of Native America at that time and what we had was a very interesting movie about two guys who go back and forth and talk to each other," she remarked, referring to the characters portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro.
She added, "Everybody was sort of excited that the native story was going to be told and what they found was like, ‘Wow, all the native women are dead.’ They said, ‘Well, it’s a feature, we didn’t have time,’ but there was time."
Foster’s remarks, although surprising given her longstanding relationship with Scorsese, were not negative. She expressed admiration for his previous work, including the 2016 series Vinyl, and voiced hopes that he would further explore high-end dramas. "I can’t wait until he embraces that even more, because he has so much to bring to the table," she remarked.
Earlier in the discussion, Foster reflected on her formative experience working with Robert De Niro on Taxi Driver, recounting how he introduced her to improvisation, reshaping her understanding of acting. "It opened my eyes to what acting could be," she recalled, describing her excitement during that pivotal moment of her career.
As the conversation unfolded, Foster emphasized the variety of storytelling channels available in today’s film industry, highlighting the freedom and potential that streaming platforms offer for more complex narratives.
