Paul Schrader wishes DiCaprio played the cop, not the 'idiot,' in Killers of the Flower Moon

Acclaimed screenwriter Paul Schrader has expressed his views on Martin Scorsese's latest film, Killers of the Flower Moon, suggesting that Leonardo DiCaprio should have played the role of the FBI agent rather than the character Schrader referred to as the 'idiot.'

Schrader, known for his work on iconic films like Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, praised Flower Moon as a "good movie" but conveyed his belief that it could have been even better with DiCaprio in the role of the FBI investigator, Tom White.

Also Read |Killers of the Flower Moon review: A devastating, utterly tremendous piece of cinema

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Describing the creative dynamic between himself and Scorsese, Schrader compared their styles in a recent interview with France's Le Monde, stating, "Marty compares me to a Flemish miniaturist. He would be more the type who paints Renaissance frescoes. Give him $200 million, a good film will inevitably come out of it."

Schrader elaborated on his perspective, stating, "I would have preferred Leonardo DiCaprio to play the role of the cop in Killers of the Flower Moon rather than the role of the idiot. Spending three-and-a-half hours in the company of an idiot is a long time."

Originally, Scorsese intended for DiCaprio to portray FBI agent Tom White, leading the investigation into the Osage murders in the 1920s. However, DiCaprio later requested a change, expressing a desire to play the character of Ernest Burkhart, a World War I veteran ensnared in his uncle's plot to exploit the Osage Nation's wealth.

Reflecting on the script changes, Scorsese had explained, "After two years of working on the script, Leo came to me and asked, 'Where is the heart of this story?' The real story, we felt, was not necessarily coming from the outside, with the bureau, but rather from the inside, from Oklahoma."