Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell to Star in New Martin Scorsese Film
Two of independent country and roots music’s biggest success stories have just been cast in a highly-anticipated upcoming film by legendary director Martin Scorsese. Based in 1920’s Oklahoma and depicting the real life serial murders of members of the oil-wealthy Osage Nation after crude was discovered on their land, the film Killers of the Flower Moon will tell the story of a string of brutal crimes that came to be known as the Reign of Terror, and among other things, helped lead to the formation and proliferation of the F.B.I.
Already cast in the film were Leonardo DiCaprio, William Belleau of The Twilight Saga, and Louis Cancelmi who played a semi-blind mobster in Scorsese’s last film, The Irishman. Jason Isbell will portray Bill Smith, who is an adversary of DiCaprio’s character Ernest Burkhart. Sturgill Simpson will play infamous rodeo champion and bootlegger Henry Grammer.
Neither the Sturgill Simpson nor Jason Isbell parts are considered lead characters, but they are definitely part of the primary cast. Sturgill Simpson has appeared in numerous films previously, including the 2019 zombie film The Dead Don’t Die directed by Jim Jarmusch, which he also sang the theme song to. Sturgill also played a police officer in Queen & Slim, and appeared in the controversial film The Hunt from 2020 as the character “Vanilla Nice.” Simpson also appeared in the CBS All Access limited series One Dollar in 2018, which lasted for five episodes.
Killers of the Flower Moon will officially be Jason Isbell’s acting debut, but he did play an extra in the Deadwood movie from 2019, and also played a role in the remake of A Star Is Born, contributing the song “Maybe It’s Time” to the soundtrack, which was a centerpiece of the film.
Robert De Niro has also been tied to the cast of the film, but his role has yet to be confirmed. Apple Original Films is the production company behind the new Scorsese flick. Killers of the Flower Moon was originally a book by David Grann released in 2017.
No further information on the film is available yet since it’s still in pre-production. But stay tuned as news develops for what could be a big opportunity for these two highly-regarded songwriters and performers.
April 6, 2021 @ 5:40 pm
That’s cool. I read the book and it was really good. I’m interested to see how the movie turns out.
April 6, 2021 @ 5:43 pm
Must miss.
April 6, 2021 @ 5:56 pm
Good for Sturgill. But I’m just tooooo proud of our other boy. Sure, his music has taken a turn for the worse lately. But….he’s said all the “right” things, properly and safely distanced himself from his former no-good “friends,” belittled a certain pesky music “journalist” who hasn’t seen the light and gotten with the program, and I’ll be damned…he even strategically positioned himself in the good graces of the almighty Hollywood. See, good things do happen to good people. Couldn’t be more happy for Jisbell.
April 6, 2021 @ 6:30 pm
Get over it.
April 6, 2021 @ 7:23 pm
Sorry, not gonna let a hater ruin such glorious vindication.
April 7, 2021 @ 3:17 am
Right?
Isbell’s been an irascible dick who uses Twitter to shit on people for YEARS – his current persona isn’t actually any different than when he was calling Dierks Bentley a plagiarist and a hack for ripping off “Razor Town.”
It’s just hitting people in their fee-fees, now.
April 7, 2021 @ 5:12 am
Isbell’s been an irascible dick who uses Twitter to shit on people for YEARS
Pretty much this. But the music’s just as good as ever, and I say this as someone who vehemently disagrees with Isbell on a number of things.
April 7, 2021 @ 8:25 am
Exactly.
The only change in his Twitter presence over the last ten years is that we now get Amanda and Mercy stories, along with the snark.
April 7, 2021 @ 6:35 am
how come isbell gets shit on for his twitter usage yet the thought of a certain former president tweeting that someone’s fat and stupid got most of these same people hard as a diamond?
April 7, 2021 @ 7:56 am
The difference is Donald Trump is a politician and a professional troll, and Jason Isbell is a songwriter you follow on social media for updates on his music, touring, etc., and next thing you know he’s publicly calling you an incel and a Trump supporter and riling his Stan followers to publicly dogpile and gang up on you in the name of “inclusiveness.” Jason Isbell has a right to share his opinion like everyone else. The fact that he’s become a rank bully who gains pleasure from destroying the lives of his fans because of simple political disagreements shows a lack of character and judgement measures apart from the high-minded man we thought we knew from his songs. I tried to warn folks about this early last year, and got destroyed for it. Now chicks are coming home to roost. I can’t even name his name without the comments section filling up with people angry at him. That’s not a good sign.
April 7, 2021 @ 8:18 am
…this isn’t new, though.
He’s been being a dick on Twitter for 10 years. You just fell into the firing line, this time.
(Not to mention that the crack in question came after you spent years pearl-clutching about the political implications of a couple of songs from his last two albums…which frankly drove this comment section’s negativity towards him years before you guys had your tiff).
April 7, 2021 @ 8:53 am
That’s incorrect. I’ve followed Jason Isbell on Twitter for as long as we’ve both been on there, and his feed definitely took a different turn over the last few years, and I think most Jason Isbell fans would agree on that. Remember, the whole reason he got sober was BECAUSE he went after Dierks Bentley, and it was so out-of-character for Isbell, Ryan Adams reached out to him. Furthermore, there’s a big difference between when you have 1,500 followers and are touring in a Ford Econoline, and you have 385,000 followers and tour in three buses and a semi rig. The way Isbell doesn’t just respond, but retweets his responses to some fans causes a public shaming of average people that is very dangerous, and I said that way before he went after me.
Again, I’m happy that Isbell is in this movie, and I look forward to seeing it. And I’m frankly surprised so many folks are using this news to tee off on Isbell, and not just here, but in many places. I think some of this anger is unfounded. But if I were Isbell or his team, I would take it to heart. Public sentiment has soured on this dude as I warned about previously, and it’s not because of Saving Country Music’s comments sections. It’s because he projects a high level of down-looking judgementalism people don’t appreciate.
April 7, 2021 @ 8:27 am
glad you hold a musician to a higher standard than the president of the usa, trig.
April 7, 2021 @ 8:46 am
Why do you keep bringing up Donald fucking Trump? He lost the election. He got kicked off of Twitter. He got kicked off of all social media. He’s not longer the President of the United States, and he has nothing to do with country music or Jason Isbell.
April 7, 2021 @ 9:46 am
I actually think Trump has quite a bit to do with how angry and frustrated and mean and funny Isbell’s been over the last 4 years or so.
When the GOP shed its veneer of respectability and became an openly white supremacist movement worshipping an obese, illiterate manchild who blows his daddy’s money on makeup, a lot of folks stopped assuming ignorance rather than malice, and took their kid-gloves off.
April 8, 2021 @ 5:16 am
What a bunch of soft snowflakes
April 7, 2021 @ 6:45 am
Right? No…it’s more like…..YASS KING! Where you been hero? I’m mostly on my knees over this leading to a role in Ghostbusters, Part Douche. Guaranteed Oscar, canonization, and possibly…rations for life?
Hey, don’t let it only be in genuflecting to jolly ole’ Saint J.IS, that we may receive thy good word. I need salvation for my mortal fee-fees. ????
April 7, 2021 @ 7:46 am
You sound like an easily offended lil’ snowflake.
April 7, 2021 @ 8:03 am
I…don’t know what this means.
Apologies. You clearly worked very hard on it.
April 7, 2021 @ 8:50 am
@CLS kinda weird that you seem to understand what I’m saying enough to THINK I put some work into it. it’s ok though, I get it…keep fighting the good fight.
@Rooster. You got me. It’s not that I mostly laugh at this shit and post silly comments…in reality I’m melting like a snowflake and won’t sleep for a week. A+ for originality too.
April 7, 2021 @ 9:50 am
It all seems carefully calibrated to appeal to some specific corner of Reddit or YouTube or something, haha.
Doesn’t make sense to me, but I recognize and appreciate the effort.
April 6, 2021 @ 9:12 pm
I don’t always agree with you, Jake, but that was great. And Jizbell is a good word for my current feelings about someone I once respected a lot.
April 6, 2021 @ 6:28 pm
I will pass, thank you.
April 6, 2021 @ 6:59 pm
This sounds exciting but it pisses me off at the same time (half sarcastic). It’s my understanding that Dicaprio, over a decade ago, bought the film rates to one of my favorite books, Devil in the White City, that’s also a true serial killer story. There was also reporting that he was partnering with Scorsese, but I haven’t heard anything about that ever starting. As a civil engineer, the architecture part of the story with the World’s Fair was a cool side story to the HH Holmes saga.
April 6, 2021 @ 11:03 pm
Last I read they are making Devil In The White City into a series at Hulu. Martin and Leo are the producers. A series would be better because there is so much in the book to cover. Great book. Read it for an art and architecture class.
April 7, 2021 @ 5:09 am
Thanks for the update Sam. It’s been awhile since I’ve looked into it. If that’s the case, it sounds like I’ll have to switch streaming services.
April 6, 2021 @ 7:48 pm
Look, I understand that the public personas of both of these dudes can be a little much, and I’ve been on the receiving end of it probably just as much or more than anyone. But I think Sturgill has turned over a new leaf in the last year or so, and I’m excited for what both of these guys have to offer to this. Maybe it’ll suck who knows? But I don’t see the harm in being a little excited for a couple of guys from the neighborhood getting some face time in a Scorsese flick.
April 12, 2021 @ 6:23 pm
That’s it in a nutshell. Well said.
April 6, 2021 @ 8:16 pm
What’s with all the hate? It’s a Scorsese movie. Even when they’re 15 million hours long, we watch them and love it. It’s going to be great.
If you hard pass on this bc you don’t like a something a guy playing a minor character said or did, that is literally cutting off your nose to spite your face.
And while I’m making statements, Leo didn’t win his Oscar for His work in the Revenant, he won it for all the years he deserved it and got snubbed.
April 7, 2021 @ 10:44 am
I’m personally tried of Hollywood and their virtue signaling about how the right is full of hate and preaching about how this/that isn’t right but they keep their mouths shut when it comes to speaking out against pedophilia that runs rampant out in Hollywood.
1) It tells me they are either pedophiles themselves.
2) Care about piling more and more $ on top of the millions they already got in spite of it meaning that a kid is gonna have to go through life with that kind of trauma but hey long as they get a role who gives a damn!
April 6, 2021 @ 8:54 pm
Luke Bryan: “Am I amusing to you?? What, do you think I’m a clown??”
Sturgill : “Aye, forget about it. You be hunting, fishing, & sleeping with da fishes every day”
April 8, 2021 @ 5:01 pm
Isbell: “No, not funny ‘ha-ha'”…
April 6, 2021 @ 11:19 pm
One I’ve been hard on but, have grown to respect a great deal for his audacity and stubbornness, in addition to his music, even if I don’t think he’s always hit the mark.
The other seems to have spent his early adulthood out of control and being a really sucky person by most accounts (entirely forgivable) while spending his more recent adulthood being unapologetically judgmental towards, at times, far more developed and mature humans simply for holding different values than the ones he’s adopted in his handful of clear-thinking years (much more difficult to understand and forgive).
Both have unquestionably written some great songs that I like and both deserve credit for those. Additionally, both fit neatly into the ideals to which Hollywood has always subscribed. Taking those points into consideration, I think it’s pretty cool and it’s certainly big news for country music. I’m happy for them both but, happier for one than the other if good things should happen to good people.
Country music should not be a partisan affair. One can be concerned that a political prerequisite may/almost certainly does exist for such opportunities while also acknowledging that both those guys have serious merit as artists whether or not they coincidentally ticked a political affiliation check box and whether or not they are Grammy award winners for the “most likable country singer” category.
Both guys are responsible for breaking new ground in country music (although again one probably significantly more than the other). I’d prefer both return to their highest level in music but, barring that as an option, this is a good thing and, like it or not, both men resonate with a lot of people. It’s tough and perhaps a bit salty to fault them for seizing an opportunity of that magnitude. I think I’d take that gig too. Have fun fellas!
April 7, 2021 @ 7:51 am
I’ve got to say, I’m surprised just how much public sentiment has turned against Jason Isbell, and it’s turned in measurable, and palpable ways. I don’t believe it’s because he’s outspoken on political issues. I believe it’s because much of his public action comes with a measure of an elitist, down-looking attitude that even some who may agree with him see as unhelpful, and too far. He’s become a bad version of a hack partisan, and for a similar reason many journalists have: it elicits a strong reaction on Twitter, which gets the dopamine going, while often eroding the effort behind what you’re lobbying for, similar to the Natalie Weiner article in Pitchfork.
April 7, 2021 @ 8:48 am
He’s simply a dick. And people don’t like entertainers who think their opinions matter more than anyone else’s just because they have a platform. Eric Church has trended this way for a while now.
April 7, 2021 @ 9:10 am
If “Public Sentiment” means “The opinions of SCM commenters,” it has a lot more to do with the fact that you’ve been pearl-clutching about his being “political” since Hope the High Road dropped 4 years ago.
Meanwhile, his Twitter followers have roughly tripled during that time frame, and his album sales have remained steady, despite none of his follow-ups hitting the heights of Southeastern.
So…yeah. Anyone his Twitter presence has alienated has been offset by new listeners from the Americana/Indigo/Whatever side who either find him hilarious or genuinely don’t give a shit about what artists do on Twitter.
April 7, 2021 @ 9:24 am
For the love of God, never ever call anything ever again that has anything to do with country or roots music “Indigo.”
And again, I’m in this very comments section defending Jason Isbell, and a little perplexed why so many are attacking him. So blame me all you want, but public sentiment has soured at least somewhat on this dude. This isn’t me trying to land punches. This is just an honest assessment for reading people’s takes here and elsewhere, while some Isbell fans continue to exhibit what I would call outright Stan behavior.
April 7, 2021 @ 2:04 pm
Not even Amy and Emily???
Pretty sure Spotify prayed to the soul of Galileo, when deciding what to name that playlist.
Anyway, I think a big part of any Isbell backlash is your Streisand-ing it into existence over the last couple of years, by wringing your hands about the potential for an Isbell backlash over his (barely left of centre) politics.
I also don’t really see anyone “Stanning” the man, haha – generally “He’s mean, but he’s not wrong, and he’s a hell of an artist.”
April 7, 2021 @ 2:23 pm
Again, I was excited to hear about Jason Isbell’s role in this film. Decided to take time out of my life to write an article about it and promote it. Was somewhat surprised by the negativity he was receiving here, and spoke out against it. And somehow once again I’m the bad guy.
April 7, 2021 @ 9:14 am
I see your point Trig, but has “public sentiment” really turned against him? Dude’s bigger than ever!
April 7, 2021 @ 9:19 am
I don’t think he’s bigger than ever. His last album did not sell nearly as well as his previous three. Where before you’d bring up his name and folks were mostly universally accepting, now folks come out of the woodwork just to criticize this guy. He’s a polarizing figure, and no, not just in this comments section. Sturgill got to that point to, but has recovered a bit from the success of his bluegrass albums.
April 7, 2021 @ 9:36 am
Fair points. The venues he is due to play here in the UK (when/if live gigs ever happen again) will be the biggest he’s played, I’m quite sure.
April 7, 2021 @ 11:24 am
Isbell’s last album isn’t nearly as good as any of the previous three he released and was definitely a let-down for me. I actually liked Stu’s Sound & Fury and that was before watching the Netflix film…which was definitely a lot better with the assistance of psilocybin.
April 7, 2021 @ 12:03 pm
do you think maybe the lackluster sales of his most recent album might have had something to do with the beginning of covid and lockdowns happening? or should we only consider this single aspect?
April 7, 2021 @ 12:23 pm
I think there’s probably numerous factors of why the album underperformed, and COVID could be one of them. However, I resist the narrative some artists have tried to sow (specifically Margo Price) that they were in line for a big breakout moment, and COVID screwed it all up. Most certainly some artists have flailed during the pandemic, while some have thrived. The lockdowns benefited artists who could be flexible, who could turn in acoustic performances and still compel audiences, with artists like Luke Combs and Billy Strings hitting strides during the lockdown, while those who sat at home and had little strategy to deal with it struggled more. I personally gave greater emphasis last year to album reviews and ignored live stream for the express purpose of trying to help equalize some of this discrepancy, and make sure stellar albums did not get overlooked.
The artists that were hurt the most by the pandemic were the up-and-comers who had big opening slots on major tours lined up to coincide with their album releases, and then had their plans cancelled. Jason Isbell is well-established and I think the effect was minimal, though it may have affected him some, especially in physical sales.
April 7, 2021 @ 12:38 pm
I pre-ordered Isbell’s CD, the same as I did with Simpson’s bluegrass CD’s. I bought more physical albums in 2020 than I have bought in the past 5-10 years due to having more money to spend that would have otherwise gone to live concerts and sporting events. I still have tickets to an Isbell show in SF in July that was re-scheduled from last year because of the shut down. Crossing my fingers that Whitey Morgan has his annual B-day BBQ bash again this year and that I won’t need a Covid Passport to attend.
April 8, 2021 @ 5:12 pm
He is? Why don’t we ask Shonna about that?
April 7, 2021 @ 9:39 am
I saw him in some interview a long time ago. He was whining and pounding his little feet about people wanting to listen to music they chose to listen to, rather than what he wanted them to listen to…or some babbling bullshit. You can imagine my surprise that he’s turned into this “everyone do as I say or fuck you” kind of idiot…yea… He did one great album, a handful of decent songs on a few others – just like the his buddy Stu. Time for them both to quit sucking their own…..
April 7, 2021 @ 4:01 pm
Isbell is an insufferable prick and has been for years. The guy managed to write a couple brilliant albums, but his creativity is suffering greatly since he deemed himself better than everyone else.
As far As Cool Lester Dildo’s comment that Isbell is often right. That’s complete bullshit. Look, I get you have a man crush on Jason Cool Lester Dildo (you probably jack-off to his photos), but he’s rarely right. The more woke he gets, the worse his music gets.
And to Jason (because I know you lurk in the comments section here), I encourage you to join AA and NA, and get to some meetings, dude. You come across not as someone who is clean and sober, but someone who is dry (a huge difference).
April 9, 2021 @ 11:29 pm
I read your Pitchfork article and it was particularly well done. I’d never put up with what you are putting up with right now on your site but, I thank you for doing it. Sadly but, unsurprisingly, that issue was brought to my attention exclusively by Saving Country Music. Making sure those sorts of reprehensible actions are accessible to country music fans is a huge service to country music. Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell, and Saving Country Music ALL unquestionably add value to country music. That is a BIG difference from what Ms. Weiner does and did. There’s room for all sorts of races and beliefs in country but, in my opinion, there is absolutely no room for the reckless race-baiting undertaken by Pitchfork and Ms. Weiner in country music. Country music fans, be they black, white, Democrat or Republican should stand united in removing that type of poison from our music and culture. I, for one, owe my knowledge of this disgusting incident entirely to SCM and I’m better for knowing about it! Thank you for that.
April 6, 2021 @ 11:35 pm
Jason was great when he played an overweight alcoholic teen songwriting prodigy in Drive By Truckers.
April 7, 2021 @ 3:14 am
I’ll take Southeastern every time.
April 7, 2021 @ 8:52 am
Dead, Drunk & Naked. ????
April 7, 2021 @ 12:38 am
I’ll pass.
April 7, 2021 @ 4:13 am
Can’t handle Jason’s self-righteous egotistical nonsense so probably going to skip this flick.
April 7, 2021 @ 7:47 am
cry
April 7, 2021 @ 12:07 pm
what until you hear what the boom mic operator does on his twitter!
April 7, 2021 @ 5:25 am
Yeah, it’s gonna be a no for me on this one, dog.
Isbell and Sturgill burnt up every bit of goodwill they had going.
April 7, 2021 @ 8:05 am
Wonder if they will use real Indians?
April 7, 2021 @ 8:35 am
Is it just me that sees the irony in commenters who rail against cancel culture hating on artists because of their Twitter? I thought the point was to be able to say whatever you want without consequences?
April 7, 2021 @ 9:13 am
No, no – it’s for THEM to be able to say whatever they want, with zero consequences, and for everyone who makes them feel even a little bit uncomfortable to be boycotted, deplatformed and/or burned at the stake.
Screaming the n-word: “He doesn’t deserve to be canceled! He just made a mistake!”
Being anti-war: Burn the witch!
Very simple stuff.
April 7, 2021 @ 4:06 pm
Cool Lester Dildo. It’s your side that seems to think you are the only ones who are allowed to exercise free speech. And it was you and the other leftist lemmings who created cancel culture. You know, the ones who cry about everything.
Isbell is a dick who can’t handle when people disagree with him. Just like the rest of you leftist simpletons.
No one is cancelling Isbell; he’s doing a good enough job of that himself.
April 8, 2021 @ 11:29 am
…lol.
This is literally a comment crying about Isbell, snowflake.
Grow up.
It’ll help you finally get a third hand to touch your no-no zone.
April 7, 2021 @ 1:12 pm
Been excited for this movie for a while, big fan of Scorsese and DiCaprio, also for De Niro to be in it, and Jesse Plemons (the asshole Todd from Breaking Bad). Neat to see Sturgill and Isbell get a role in this too, although I like Isbell about as much as I like turkey burgers. Pretentious fella.
April 7, 2021 @ 4:58 pm
Jesse Plemons is great. I especially liked him in Fargo season 2 and the Star Trek episode of Black Mirror.
April 7, 2021 @ 2:15 pm
Martin Scorsese seldom swings and misses.
I wouldn’t miss this movie.
I don’t care for either one of these artists and I don’t listen to their music, but I suspect they will prove to be competent actors.
April 7, 2021 @ 6:29 pm
It’s a beautiful thing that Trigger finally came out as an alt-country Tucker Carlson. Just another dude selling grievances.
April 7, 2021 @ 7:37 pm
Huh?
April 8, 2021 @ 6:07 pm
Here’s my attempt at a translation:
Kind of ironically, HE has a “grievance” with you for having a nuanced and balanced opinion, and for standing up for it with reason and principle. But It does not compute, and he’s uncomfortable with you pointing out these hypocrisies and ridiculous examples of self-promoting woke clickbait (he made a similar comment on the Nate Barnes Story), or…..any criticism of Isbell whatsoever. He’d rather you shut up about it altogether because deep down he can’t wrap his head around the fact that he either agrees with you, but doesn’t have the courage to admit it, even to himself….or he is just flat out unaware of what it’s like to have a critical opinion outside of his echo chamber and how he’s told to think. So…we come to his insult. A shallow and predictable dig at both you and a cliche and easy target….gasp…Tucker Carlson! If I had to gander, I’d also say he and the geniuses that liked that comment think you got BTFO. Funny really.
I could be wrong though, so don’t quote me on any of this.
April 8, 2021 @ 5:46 pm
Given Sturg’s characters in The Dead Don’t Die, Queen & Slim, and The Hunt, what do we think the odds are that his character in this gets killed off too?
April 9, 2021 @ 3:23 pm
I used to really like Isbell but he now has that holier than thou attitude. Trigger is right. He calls people out on Twitter so his minions can pile on. He is just like most artists. Claims he does it for the art but waive some money in front of him and he will play for whoever or whenever they will pay. I’ve seen it. He played a corporate event a few years ago for an organization that was the complete opposite of his political leanings. He shut up and sang and cashed the check. I don’t fault him for it but don’t present yourself as this political warrior and then bow down to the green back dollar.