Jerry Seinfeld argues ‘the movie business is over’ ahead of directorial debut ‘Unfrosted’ about the history of Pop Tarts

In an interview with GQ, he argued that the industry had been mired in "confusion" and "disorientation," with audiences moving away from the big screen to entertainment that feels more authentic.

"They’re so dead serious!" Seinfeld said of the crew who worked on his upcoming movie, Unfrosted. "They don’t have any idea that the movie business is over. They have no idea."

He suggested that "film doesn't occupy the pinnacle in the social, cultural hierarchy that it did for most of our lives."

"When a movie came out, if it was good, we all went to see it," he recalled. "We all discussed it. We quoted lines and scenes we liked. Now we’re walking through a fire hose of water, just trying to see."

When asked what he believed had replaced the film industry, Seinfeld said, "Depression? Malaise? I would say confusion. Disorientation replaced the movie business. Everyone I know in show business, every day, is going, 'What’s going on? How do you do this? What are we supposed to do now?'"

He went on to argue that it's "more valuable than it's ever been" for someone in the entertainment industry to have a body of work that people know them for and enjoy, citing his own career as evidence that those who pursue traditionally authentic mediums such as stand-up comedy are "impervious to the whims of the industry."

"Audiences are now flocking to stand-up because it's something you can't fake," Seinfeld explained. "That's what people like about stand-up. They can trust it. Everything else is fake."

In addition to directing Unfrosted, Seinfeld also received credits for writing, producing, and acting. The film, which is a comedic adaptation of the Pop Tart's origin story, is set to debut on Netflix on May 3.