Robert De Niro: ‘Netflix has given filmmakers a lot of opportunities’

Robert De Niro has voiced his support for Netflix and shared his belief that the popular streaming service could represent the new era of cinema.
The Goodfellas star made the comments during an interview with CNN while promoting the upcoming Tribeca Film Festival, and suggested that the platform had helped to reinvigorate the film industry.
“A lot of opportunity has come out of the Netflix thing. It’s not so simple and I agree we have to have the theatre format, it’s so important. But I don’t know, things move on in ways that we can’t foresee,” he reflected.
The star also affirmed his love for the tradition of going out to see a movie, and revealed that his upcoming Netflix original film The Irishman, directed by longtime collaborator Martin Scorsese, will have a limited theatrical release alongside its debut on the streaming platform.
The 75-year-old went on to address comments made by Steven Spielberg, who came under fire last month (Mar19) when he reportedly proposed that officials at the Academy Awards should block films made for streaming services like Netflix, from competing at the Oscars.
While the acclaimed director had previously confessed during an interview with ITV News that he considered all of Netflix’s productions to be “TV movies,” De Niro suggested that the service had given a considerable platform to up-and-coming names in the industry.
“(Steven is) the most successful director in the world, ever,” he remarked. “(But) it’s not that easy for other people in smaller situations and it’s about the work.”