What Movies Was Leonardo DiCaprio In: The Full List and What You Probably Missed

If you’re sitting there wondering exactly what movies was Leonardo DiCaprio in, you’re basically asking for a roadmap of the last thirty years of Hollywood. Most people just think of the big ones. Titanic. Inception. That one where he finally got the Oscar for sleeping in a dead horse. But the reality is way more interesting because Leo has one of the weirdest, most intentional "no-sequel" careers in history.

Honestly, he doesn't just pick movies; he picks directors. It’s why you see him jumping from Martin Scorsese to Quentin Tarantino like it’s a casual hobby. Below is the breakdown of his filmography, from the 90s heartthrob era to his latest 2025 release, One Battle After Another.

The Early Days: Before the Hysteria

Before he was "King of the World," DiCaprio was just a kid with a bowl cut trying to survive low-budget horror.

He actually started in Critters 3 (1991). Yeah, it’s a direct-to-video monster movie. Not exactly The Departed. But things changed fast. By 1993, he was acting circles around Robert De Niro in This Boy's Life and playing Arnie Grape in What's Eating Gilbert Grape. That last one got him his first Oscar nomination at age 19. People genuinely thought he was a newcomer with a disability because the performance was that convincing.

Then came the "Leo-mania" years.

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• The Basketball Diaries (1995): A gritty look at addiction that proved he wasn't just a pretty face.
• The Quick and the Dead (1995): A weirdly fun western with Sharon Stone.
• Romeo + Juliet (1996): Baz Luhrmann turned him into a global icon for every teenager on the planet.
• Marvin's Room (1996): A quiet drama where he held his own against Meryl Streep.

The Titanic Shift and the "Dark" Years

We have to talk about Titanic (1997). It’s the movie that changed everything. It was the highest-grossing film ever for over a decade. But interestingly, Leo spent the next five years trying to run away from that "Jack Dawson" image. He chose weird, darker projects like The Beach (2000) and The Man in the Iron Mask (1998).

He even did a movie called Don’s Plum that was so controversial (and reportedly hated by him and Tobey Maguire) that it was legally blocked from being released in the U.S. and Canada for years.

The Scorsese Partnership (The GOAT Era)

If you want to know what movies was Leonardo DiCaprio in during his prime, you have to look at his "work husband" Martin Scorsese. This is where he turned into a powerhouse.

1. Gangs of New York (2002): His first time working with Marty.
2. The Aviator (2004): Playing Howard Hughes, which showed his obsession with "biopic" roles.
3. The Departed (2006): Finally, a movie that felt like a modern classic from day one.
4. Shutter Island (2010): The psychological thriller everyone still debates the ending of.
5. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013): He was Jordan Belfort, and honestly, the Quaalude scene is peak physical comedy.
6. Killers of the Flower Moon (2023): A massive, sobering look at the Osage Nation murders.

From Dreams to Revenants: The Blockbuster Streak

Outside of Scorsese, Leo basically became the guy you hire if you want a $200 million movie that actually has a brain.

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Christopher Nolan’s Inception (2010) is probably his most famous non-Scorsese role of the modern era. Then he went and played a villain for the first time in Django Unchained (2012). Fun fact: he actually cut his hand on glass during a scene and just kept acting. That’s the kind of intensity we’re talking about here.

He did The Great Gatsby in 2013 (reuniting with Baz Luhrmann) and then went through hell for The Revenant (2015). He ate raw bison liver. He slept in animal carcasses. It was miserable, but it got him the Best Actor Oscar he’d been chasing for twenty years.

What He's Doing Now (2025 and Beyond)

Leo isn't slowing down, but he is getting more selective. In 2021, he did the Netflix satire Don’t Look Up, which was basically him yelling about climate change through a fictional lens.

Recently, he starred in One Battle After Another (2025), directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. It’s a wild, sprawling crime-action flick that’s been cleaning up at the box office. If you haven't seen it yet, it's a huge departure from his more "serious" biopics.

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Looking ahead at the rumors:

• Heat 2: There are heavy reports that Michael Mann wants him for the sequel/prequel to the legendary heist movie.
• What Happens at Night: Another Scorsese collaboration is reportedly in the works, potentially filming in 2026 with Jennifer Lawrence.

A Quick Cheat Sheet of the Full Filmography

If you just need a list to check off, here are the main acting credits:

• Critters 3 (1991)
• This Boy's Life (1993)
• What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)
• The Basketball Diaries (1995)
• The Quick and the Dead (1995)
• Total Eclipse (1995)
• Romeo + Juliet (1996)
• Marvin's Room (1996)
• Titanic (1997)
• The Man in the Iron Mask (1998)
• Celebrity (1998)
• The Beach (2000)
• Gangs of New York (2002)
• Catch Me If You Can (2002)
• The Aviator (2004)
• The Departed (2006)
• Blood Diamond (2006)
• Body of Lies (2008)
• Revolutionary Road (2008)
• Shutter Island (2010)
• Inception (2010)
• J. Edgar (2011)
• Django Unchained (2012)
• The Great Gatsby (2013)
• The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
• The Revenant (2015)
• Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)
• Don't Look Up (2021)
• Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
• One Battle After Another (2025)

Why His Movie List Matters

Basically, DiCaprio’s career is a lesson in saying "no." He has never done a superhero movie. He has never done a cheap sequel (unless you count Critters 3, but he was a kid). Every time you see his name on a poster, you know the movie is going to be at least interesting.

If you're looking to start a marathon, start with The Departed for the tension, The Wolf of Wall Street for the chaos, and What's Eating Gilbert Grape if you want to see where the raw talent actually came from.

To stay ahead of his upcoming projects, keep an eye on production news from Appian Way, his production company, as they often develop his next starring roles years before they hit the screen.