7 Leonardo DiCaprio movies to watch if you loved him in ‘One Battle After Another’

Leonardo DiCaprio is an American actor and producer acclaimed for his work in biographical and period films. Rising to fame with Titanic (1997), he went on to collaborate frequently with Martin Scorsese in Gangs of New York (2002), The Aviator (2004), and The Wolf of Wall Street (2013).

His other major works include Inception (2010), The Revenant (2015), which earned him his first Oscar, and Killers of the Flower Moon (2023).

In One Battle After Another (2025), DiCaprio delivers an emotionally charged performance as Pat Calhoun, a disillusioned revolutionary fighting to rescue his daughter from a corrupt military officer while confronting the violent legacy of his past.

One Battle After Another is a 2025 action thriller written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, and Benicio del Toro, it follows ex-revolutionary Pat Calhoun as he battles to save his daughter from a corrupt military officer.

Here is a list of seven Leonardo DiCaprio movies to watch if viewers loved him in One Battle After Another.

Disclaimer: The following list is ranked in no particular order, and the opinions expressed belong solely to the author.

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Catch Me If You Can, and 6 other Leonardo DiCaprio movies to watch if you loved him in One Battle After Another

1) The Departed (2006)

A still from The Departed (Image via Apple TV+)

For Leonardo DiCaprio, 2006 was a crucial year in his career. Although Blood Diamond got him a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Actor, his performance in Martin Scorsese's The Departed was perhaps his best of that era. DiCaprio plays Billy Costigan, a state agent assigned to penetrate the criminal underground in Boston.

He portrays a natural vulnerability in this part, which elevates the character without undermining the work of the ensemble cast, which includes Mark Wahlberg, Alec Baldwin, Matt Damon, and Jack Nicholson.

The movie showcases DiCaprio's ability to hold the audience's attention while competing in a story with many characters. This third project with Scorsese marked their working relationship as one of the most steady and lasting in modern filmmaking.

The picture blends tension and moral ambiguity through the interaction between DiCaprio's acting and Scorsese's direction.

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2) The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

Leonardo DiCaprio portrays Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street (Image via Apple TV+)

Leonardo DiCaprio portrays Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street, a New York stockbroker whose life is characterized by ambition and moral lapses.

As DiCaprio captures the character while portraying Belfort's boldness and drive, the performance requires intense energy. Even as the character's actions become more reckless, he keeps Belfort's charm, holding the audience's interest.

DiCaprio’s ability to balance antics and key moments is crucial to the film’s plot, showing his skill in managing character arcs and using humor and emotion to engage viewers while keeping the ensemble connected.

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3) Catch Me If You Can (2002)

A still from Catch Me If You Can (Image via Apple TV+)

Leonardo DiCaprio's performance in Catch Me If You Can, which prioritized subtlety over spectacle, provided a counterpoint to Titanic's worldwide triumph.He plays the role of Frank Abagnale Jr., a con artist who effectively manipulates people and fools authorities.

DiCaprio's portrayal highlights his ability to convey wit, intelligence, and self-awareness all at once, giving the role a mysterious quality. Viewers are prompted to consider the lines separating truth from deceit through the role's deliberate use as a narrative device.

DiCaprio conveys Abagnale's dual nature by using subtle facial expressions and timing to convey both the excitement of the scam and a sense of vulnerability.

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4) The Revenant (2015)

Leonardo DiCaprio in The Revenant (Image via Apple TV+)

The physical challenges of Alejandro González Iñárritu's The Revenant are well known, and Leonardo DiCaprio's portrayal of Hugh Glass perfectly captures that intensity. Glass is motivated by survival and a thirst for vengeance as a frontiersman in the harsh environment.

DiCaprio gave the part his all, suffering harsh weather, intricate stunts, and physically taxing scenes, such as a well-publicized run-in with a bear. Through a combination of stoicism and intensity, the performance shows the unadulterated struggle for survival as Glass faces both human and natural hardships.

In addition to being aesthetically spectacular, the movie places DiCaprio at the heart of an existential and visceral story. He eventually won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the role, which acknowledged his emotional and physical commitment to the part.

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5) Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019)

DiCaprio and Bard Pitt in Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (Image via Apple TV+)

Leonardo DiCaprio portrays Rick Dalton, a waning television star battling the end of his career, in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood.

Leonarod DiCaprio portrays a character who alternates between charm, impatience, and humor by deftly and precisely capturing Dalton's doubts, self-doubt, and occasional arrogance.

DiCaprio reveals the personal stakes beneath Dalton's public persona while capturing the farce and tragedy of a Hollywood career in transition.

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6) Titanic (1997)

A still from the movie Titanic (Image via Apple TV+)

Leonardo DiCaprio’s role as Jack Dawson in James Cameron’s Titanic remains one of the defining performances of his early career.

DiCaprio and Kate Winslet’s performances as Jack and Rose provide the necessary humanity, grounding the spectacle in relatable emotion. The performance captures youthful optimism and courage, which continue to connect with audiences decades later.

Jack’s tragic fate amplifies the emotional weight of the story, illustrating DiCaprio’s capacity to elicit empathy and connection. The role also marked a turning point, establishing him as a leading actor capable of carrying a major blockbuster while sustaining nuanced performance.

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7) Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

DiCaprio plays the role of Ernest Burkhart in Killers of the Flower Moon (Image via Apple TV+)

In Killers of the Flower Moon, Leonardo DiCaprio embodies Ernest Burkhart, a character whose moral complexity is matched by his duplicity. Burkhart is simultaneously self-serving and complicit in acts of exploitation, allowing DiCaprio to demonstrate a range of expressions and motivations.

His interactions with Mollie (Lily Gladstone), Bureau of Investigation agent Tom White (Jesse Plemons), and William King Hale (Robert De Niro) highlight the subtle shifts in tone and emotion required to inhabit the role fully.

The performance shows DiCaprio’s ability to disappear into a character, using physicality, vocal modulation, and emotional expression to inhabit Burkhart convincingly. This role reinforces his reputation for discipline and the ability to convey human behavior on screen.

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One Battle After Another is now playing in theaters.

Edited by Moakala T Aier