Killers of the Flower Moon” is proving to be an exhilarating cinematic ride, marking director Martin Scorsese’s most triumphant box office opening since 2010’s “Shutter Island,” which featured the talented Leonardo DiCaprio. This adaptation of David Grann’s gripping book delves into a series of grisly murders that rocked 1920s Oklahoma, as the Osage community grappled with a wave of terror, weaving a narrative of love, betrayal, and death in the process.

This mesmerising tale of “Killers of the Flower Moon” has already emerged as a colossal box office hit. Over the weekend, it raked in a whopping $23 million domestically, coupled with an impressive $21 million internationally. It’s a home run for Scorsese, trumping his previous openings, with the exception of “The Departed,” which pocketed $26 million domestically. The movie’s success is second only to Taylor Swift’s Era’s Tour, which generated an impressive $31 million.

While the film boasts a legendary director, it’s worth noting that “Killers of the Flower Moon” faced some formidable competition, particularly Taylor Swift’s concert movie. In a landscape dominated by Swift’s magnetic presence and the Kansas City Chiefs football games, the movie could have easily been overshadowed.

Another challenge was the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, which prevented the cast, including luminaries like DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone, Robert De Niro, and Louis Cancelmi, from promoting the project. Such an ensemble could have significantly benefited from the usual promotional circuit to reach its full potential.

Yet, “Killers of the Flower Moon” defied the odds and exceeded expectations. Its opening weekend triumphs over previous Scorsese classics like “The Wolf of Wall Street” and “Hugo,” which garnered $18.3 million and $11 million, respectively, in domestic box office earnings. Whether this success endures in the weeks to come remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: the opening weekend of “Killers of the Flower Moon” is an undeniable victory.”