Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio has said he is uncertain whether audiences still have the “same appetite” for watching films in cinema halls, as streaming platforms continue to reshape viewing habits and challenge traditional theatrical releases.

In a recent interview, DiCaprio described the present times as a period of rapid change for the film industry. “It’s changing at a lightning speed. We’re looking at a huge transition... First, documentaries disappeared from cinemas. Now, dramas only get finite time and people wait to see it on streamers. I don’t know. Do people still have the appetite? Or will cinemas become silos — like jazz bars,” he said.

The actor added that while the future of theatres remains uncertain, he hopes cinema continues to be a space for ambitious filmmaking. “I just hope enough people, who are real visionaries, get opportunities to do unique things in the future that are seen in the cinema. But that remains to be seen,” the 51-year-old actor told The Times.

DiCaprio had earlier raised similar concerns in an interview with entertainment news outlet Deadline, noting the growing difficulty of drawing audiences back to theatres. “This year seems like one of the most lightning-rod moments in cinema history...We’re up against it — the future of the cinematic experience — more than ever, I feel. Getting people to come to the theaters seems like more and more of a challenge,” he said.

DiCaprio was most recently seen in One Battle After Another, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, also starring Sean Penn, Teyana Taylor and Benicio del Toro.