You think you know the list of Robert De Niro movies. You probably picture the scowl, the "You talkin' to me?" squint, or maybe that weirdly intimidating father-in-law vibe from the early 2000s. Honestly, though, most people just scratch the surface of a career that's spanned over sixty years. We're talking about a guy who went from a scrawny kid in Greenwich Village to a dual-role mob boss in 2025’s The Alto Knights.
He doesn't just act. He haunts the screen.
If you’re looking for a simple checklist, you’re in the wrong place. To really understand the Robert De Niro filmography, you have to look at the shifts. The "Scorsese Era." The "Comedic Pivot." The "Late-Career Legacy" phase. It’s a wild ride.
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The Foundation: Why the 70s and 80s Still Matter
It basically started with Greetings (1968), but nobody really cares about that. The world actually woke up in 1973. That’s when Mean Streets happened. Johnny Boy was a revelation—a chaotic, self-destructive mess that proved De Niro could play "unhinged" better than anyone alive.
Then came the heavy hitters.
- The Godfather Part II (1974): He played a young Vito Corleone. He didn't speak English for most of it. He won an Oscar. It’s still one of the best sequels ever made, arguably better than the first.
- Taxi Driver (1976): Travis Bickle. The mohawk. The mirror. It’s the definitive "lonely man" movie.
- The Deer Hunter (1978): This one is brutal. It’s about Vietnam, Russian Roulette, and the psychological cost of war. It’s not an easy watch, but it’s essential.
- Raging Bull (1980): He gained 60 pounds to play an aging Jake LaMotta. Most actors would just wear a fat suit today. De Niro actually did it. This earned him his second Oscar, and honestly, he deserved a third just for the physical commitment.
The List of Robert De Niro Movies: The Gangster Peaks
You can’t talk about this guy without talking about the mob. It’s basically his brand. But he doesn't play the same "tough guy" every time. Look at The Untouchables (1987). His Al Capone is a theatrical, baseball-bat-swinging monster. Compare that to Goodfellas (1990) where he plays Jimmy "The Gent" Conway. Jimmy is calmer. He’s the guy who nods, and suddenly you’re dead.
1995 gave us Casino and Heat. In Heat, we finally got the scene everyone wanted: De Niro and Al Pacino sitting at a diner. It’s just two guys talking, but it feels like the air is being sucked out of the room. It’s masterclass acting.
Then there’s The Irishman (2019). People complained about the de-aging CGI. Sure, it looked a little "uncanny valley" at times, but the performance was heartbreaking. It was a movie about the end of an era, starring the guy who defined that era.
The Weird Stuff (That's Actually Good)
- Angel Heart (1987): He plays a guy named Louis Cyphre. Say it fast. Louis Cyphre... Lucifer. Yeah. He peels an egg in this movie and it’s the most terrifying thing you’ve ever seen.
- Brazil (1985): A tiny role as a rogue heating engineer/revolutionary. It’s bizarre. It’s Terry Gilliam. It’s great.
- Awakenings (1990): He plays a catatonic patient who "wakes up." It’s a complete 180 from his usual roles. Totally vulnerable.
The Comedy Pivot: When Jack Byrnes Took Over
Around the year 2000, something changed. He did Analyze This (1999) and Meet the Parents (2000). Suddenly, the guy who played Max Cady in Cape Fear (1991) was making us laugh. It worked. For a while.
The sequels, like Little Fockers or Analyze That, were... well, they were for the paycheck. We all know it. But don't let the "Bad De Niro" era distract you from Midnight Run (1988). That’s his best comedy. It’s a buddy-cop movie with Charles Grodin, and the chemistry is perfect.
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The Current State: 2025 and Beyond
If you think he’s retired, you’re wrong. 2025 was actually a weirdly busy year for him.
- The Alto Knights (2025): He played both Frank Costello and Vito Genovese. It was a dual role that many critics felt was a bit gimmicky, and it didn't do great at the box office ($9 million on a $50 million budget), but seeing him back in the fedora felt right.
- Zero Day (2025): A Netflix series where he plays a former president. It’s his first real foray into lead-TV, and he’s actually doing the work.
- Focker In-Law (2026): Yeah, they’re doing another one. Scheduled for November 2026. Ariana Grande is reportedly in the cast. We’ll see how that goes.
The Actionable Insight: How to Watch Him
Don't just watch the hits. If you want to see what he’s actually capable of, skip Joker (where he basically just plays a version of Jerry Lewis from The King of Comedy) and watch The King of Comedy (1982) itself.
His Rupert Pupkin is genuinely uncomfortable. He’s a guy who thinks he’s a star but has zero talent. It’s a far more impressive performance than the big mob roles because it’s so pathetic.
Next Steps for Your De Niro Marathon:
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- Watch the "Scorsese Triple": Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and Goodfellas. This is the gold standard.
- Find the Hidden Gems: Check out A Bronx Tale (his directorial debut) and Midnight Run.
- Modern Check-in: Watch Killers of the Flower Moon (2023). He plays a villain who is so quietly manipulative it’ll make your skin crawl.
- Avoid the Fluff: You can skip Dirty Grandpa. You really can. Trust me.
De Niro isn't just an actor; he’s an institution. Whether he's playing a traumatized vet or a retired spy, he brings a weight to the screen that most modern actors just can't replicate. The list of Robert De Niro movies is more than just a IMDB page—it's the history of American cinema over the last half-century.