Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio has expressed his concerns about the future of cinema, warning that streaming services are impacting traditional movie theatres by drawing fewer audiences.
The Titanic and Inception actor told Deadline, “This year seems like one of the most lightning-rod moments in cinema history,” highlighting the increasing challenges in bringing viewers to theatres.
DiCaprio explained, “We’re up against it — the future of the cinematic experience — more than ever, I feel. Getting people to come to the theatres seems like more and more of a challenge.”
While he believes the theatrical experience is not doomed, citing the simultaneous releases of Barbie and Oppenheimer as examples of successful cinema events, he added that original and innovative storytelling is increasingly being confined to streaming platforms.
“The theatrical experience may now be reserved for technological spectacles that audiences want to experience on the big screen, while completely new, out-of-the-box stories may largely shift to streamers,” he noted.
Leonardo DiCaprio recently starred in One Battle After Another, which received widespread acclaim from both critics and fellow actors, earning praise for his craft and performance.