Martin Scorsese has defended the epic runtime of his upcoming movie Killers of the Flower Moon.
The Western epic, which is based on David Grann's best-selling non-fiction book of the same name, tells the true story of a series of murders which took place in Osage County, Oklahoma, in the early 1920s.
Set to premiere in UK cinemas on October 20, the movie boasts an impressive 205 minute runtime making it 3 hours and 25 minutes long.
Related: Killers of the Flower Moon gets first reviews
In an interview with the Hindustan Times, Scorsese explained that the upcoming movie which stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, should be seen on the big screen while defending its runtime.
Likening Killers of the Flower Moon's impressive runtime to that of theatre production, Scorsese said viewers would happily sit through a play or 5 hours of television adding that audiences need to show the same "respect" for cinema.
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"People say it's three hours, but come on, you can sit in front of the TV and watch something for five hours," Scorsese said before adding: "Also, there are many people who watch theatre for 3.5 hours. There are real actors on stage, you can't get up and walk around. You give it that respect, give cinema some respect."
Related: Killers of the Flower Moon confirms UK release date as new trailer lands
When asked if he thinks the movie, which is set for release in cinemas before streaming globally on Apple TV+, is suitable for the small screen, Scorsese said: "In the case of Killers of the Flower Moon, it should be seen on the big screen.
"Are we intending to make a blockbuster? No, we're making a movie, which should [be] watched on the big screen. Other pictures I made? Maybe not. Sometimes, it's the strength of the picture too, if it plays well on a smaller screen, that's interesting. Killers could play on a small screen, but in order to truly immerse yourself, you should take out the time."
Killers of the Flower Moon will arrive in UK cinemas on October 20.
Reporter, Digital Spy
Harriet is a freelance news writer specialising in TV and movies at Digital Spy.
A horror enthusiast, she joined Digital Spy after working on her own horror website, reviewing films and focusing largely on feminism in the genre.
In her spare time, Harriet paints and produces mixed-media art. She graduated from the University of Kingston with a BA in fine art, where she specialised in painting. She also has an MA in journalism from Birkbeck University.
