One of the favorites of this awards season, Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon finally got an official streaming date after months of waiting. Thanks to digital retailers, dedicated film buffs could already rent or purchase the film online as of December. But for those who anxiously awaited the 3.5-hour long flick's streaming debut, your time has come. Here's all the nitty-gritty details you need to know to watch comfortably from your couch.
Is Killers of the Flower Moon worth watching?
Oftentimes, movies that are overly hyped don't live up to their potential (see our review of The Little Mermaid, for example). Killers of the Flower Moon is not one of those films. As Mashable's film critic Kristy Puchko put it, "In the end, Killers of the Flower Moon is an astonishing accomplishment and easily one of the best films of the year."
"Martin Scorsese delivers a riveting and unflinching film about American evils," she writes in her review of Killers of the Flower Moon. "Yet it is not the definitive take on the Osage murders, and Scorsese knows it. His brilliant film refuses to close the book and instead dares us to read deeper."
It's definitely worth the watch not only to familiarize yourself with a film that'll almost certainly be an Oscar contender, but also to dive into America's painful history of corruption and white supremacy.
What is Killers of the Flower Moon based on?
Killers of the Flower Moon is based on a non-fiction book of the same name by David Grann. It tells the true story of the 1920s Reign of Terror — a brutal string of crimes and schemes to deprive the Osage Nation of their oil wealth. The crimes became the subject of an investigation by the newly-formed FBI.
If you want to read the book before watching Scorsese's film adaptation, you can purchase the physical copy ($20.84), digital copy ($11.74), or audiobook ($5.95) at Amazon.
Is Killers of the Flower Moon on streaming?
Killers of the Flower Moon first opened in select theaters on Oct. 6 and expanded Oct. 20 as a wide theatrical release. As an Apple Original Film, we've all patiently waited for the inevitable Apple TV+ streaming release over the past few months. And we're finally pleased to announce that it's here: Killers of the Flower Moon will officially start streaming on Apple TV+ on Friday, Jan. 12. It is also available to watch at home via video-on-demand services like Vudu and Amazon Prime Video.
How to watch Killers of the Flower Moon on Apple TV+ for free
While Apple TV+ did suffer a dreaded price hike in October (which brought the $6.99/month fee up to $9.99/month), it's still one of the only streamers that offers new and returning customers ways to stream for no cost. Below, we've rounded up some of our favorite ways to subscribe to Apple TV+ for free.
Best overall: Get 3 months of Apple TV+ for free via Best Buy (new or returning subscribers)
New and returning Apple TV+ customers can score three free months of streaming by signing up through Best Buy. After you fill out your credit card information (don't worry; you won't be charged) and proceed with checkout as you normally would, Best Buy will send you an email with a digital promotion for three free months of Apple TV+. Click on "redeem now" on the email, enter your Apple ID information, and the promotional code will automatically unlock three months (plus an extra week) of Apple TV+. You can easily watch Killers of the Flower Moon as many times as you want during this time, as well as many other Apple TV+ films and series (we highly recommend Shrinking, Platonic, and Ted Lasso). After your trial period ends, you'll automatically be charged $9.99/month until you cancel.
Note: new subscribers can also unlock three free months of Apple TV+ with the purchase of new Apple hardware (iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, or Mac). Just be sure to claim the deal within 90 days of your purchase.
Best for T-Mobile/Sprint customers: Get Apple TV+ free with select T-Mobile and Sprint plans
Select T-Mobile (and former Sprint) customers can sign up for Apple TV+ for free as long as their accounts remain in good standing. Others can score six or 12 months for free before eventually having to pay the $9.99/month fee. Check your plan over at the T-Mobile or Sprint website to see if you qualify for the promotion.
The following plans include Apple TV+ for free, as long as your account is in good standing:
Go5G Next
Go5G Plus
Magenta MAX
Magenta MAX Welcome
Magenta Plus
Magenta Amplified
ONE Amplified
ONE Plus
The following plans include Apple TV+ for 12 months:
Sprint MAX
The following plans include Apple TV+ for 6 months:
Go5G
Magenta
Sprint ONE
Best for Apple fanatics: Free one-month trial of Apple TV+ and other apps with an Apple One subscription
Apple One — Apple's bundle of six entertainment subscriptions (Apple TV+, Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, Apple News+, and iCloud+) — is another way new subscribers can enjoy Apple TV+ for free. It usually costs $19.95 per month, but when you're a new subscriber, you get the first month of each app subscription for free. That includes Apple TV+. Just remember once the trial period is up, you'll be charged full price until you cancel.
Most straightforward: Free 7-day trial with Apple TV+ monthly subscription
If you just want to watch Killers of the Flower Moon and be on your merry way, you can simply sign up for an Apple TV+ monthly subscription around the streaming release date and enjoy your free seven-day trial to kick things off. Cancel before the week is up to avoid any charges or stick around for $9.99/month if you want to watch more Apple TV+ originals.
Other ways to watch Killers of the Flower Moon
Best for everyone else: Apple TV+ annual subscription
For anyone else who doesn't qualify for the free options, you can still save money on an Apply TV+ subscription by committing to an entire year of streaming rather than paying monthly. Dishing out $9.99 per month equals $119.88 over the year. Paying for an entire year outright will only cost you $99, saving you 17%. You'll have to switch your subscription manually by opening your Apple subscriptions in Settings on your device, choosing Apple TV+, and selecting "See all plans." From there, you can choose the "per year" plan instead of the "per month" plan.
Best for non-streamers: Rent or purchase on VOD
Can't fathom signing up for another streaming service? Thanks to video on demand services, you can also choose to either rent or purchase a digital version of the film. If you choose to rent, just remember that rentals give you 30 days to start watching and just 48 hours to finish once started. This film is a whopping three and a half hours long, so if you need more time to watch, you might as well purchase it for a few more bucks instead.
Currently, you can rent or purchase from the following digital retailers.
Watch on Amazon Prime Video — $19.99 to rent, $24.99 to buy
Watch on Apple TV — $19.99 to rent, $24.99 to buy
Watch on Vudu — $19.99 to rent, $24.99 to buy
Watch on YouTube — $19.99 to rent, $24.99 to buy
Topics Film Streaming How to Watch
