Martin Scorsese begins filming Killers of the Flower Moon

Martin Scorsese's latest movie Killers of the Flower Moon went into production on Monday.

The Goodfellas director, who has been forced to delay filming on multiple occasions, issued a statement on Monday to celebrate the start of principal photography on the movie, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, and Jesse Plemons, and tells the story of the serial murders of members of the oil-wealthy Osage Nation Native American tribe in 1920s Oklahoma.

"We are thrilled to finally start production on Killers of the Flower Moon in Oklahoma," Scorsese said in a statement, reports IndieWire. "To be able to tell this story on the land where these events took place is incredibly important and critical to allowing us to portray an accurate depiction of the time and people.

"We're grateful to Apple, the Oklahoma Film and Music Office and The Osage Nation, especially all our Osage consultants and cultural advisors, as we prepare for this shoot. We're excited to start working with our local cast and crew to bring this story to life on screen and immortalise a time in American history that should not be forgotten."

Oklahoma Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell said he was excited that the "largest motion picture in state history" was underway and added, "It means a lot to the state of Oklahoma to bring this film to its historical origin, which is already impacting rural communities and small businesses in huge ways."

The film, adapted by Eric Roth from David Grann's bestselling non-fiction book, stars Plemons as Tom White, an FBI agent who leads the investigation into the Osage Nation murders. DiCaprio will play Ernest Burkhart, the nephew of a powerful local rancher, portrayed by De Niro, while Lily Gladstone plays Ernest's Osage Nation wife.

Production on Killers of the Flower Moon will continue through the summer.