Why Leonardo DiCaprio Has Never Starred in a Sequel

September 2024 · 3 minute read

Unless you count the straight-to-video release of “Critters 3” in 1991, which he made as an unknown teenager, Leonardo DiCaprio has never starred in a sequel. It’s a rare badge of honor for an A-list movie star, given that Hollywood thrives on action vehicles and comic book franchises with numbers in their titles.

In a lengthy interview with Variety for this week’s cover story on “The Revenant,” directed by Alejandro G. Inarritu, DiCaprio explained why he hasn’t yet headlined a big screen saga with multiple installments (although he was on studio wish lists to play Spider-Man, Robin and Anakin Skywalker in “Star Wars”).

“To me, every movie that I’ve done has been its own piece of individual art,” DiCaprio said. “That’s not to say I wouldn’t do something that has sequels. Some of the greatest movies in the world — ‘The Godfather’ — have had sequels. ‘The Godfather 2’ is fantastic. You read a script, it’s got a beginning and an end. It’s hard to envision that being resurrected again. It just hasn’t happened.”

But Inarritu teased him that he’s ready to break that streak. “We’re planning ‘The Revenant 2,’” he said, as DiCaprio rolled his eyes. “That would be funny. Pre-production starts tomorrow.”

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