Steven Spielberg has warned of a potential Hollywood "meltdown", Digital Spy said citing the Empire.

Appearing with George Lucas at the opening of the University of Southern California's new Interactive Media Building, the veteran director said that studios are too keen to focus on big budget blockbusters.

"The big danger is that there's eventually going to be a big meltdown, where three or four, maybe even a half a dozen of these mega-budgeted movies are going to go crashing into the ground," said Spielberg. "That's going to change the paradigm again.

"You're at the point right now where a studio would rather invest $250 million in one film for a real shot at the brass ring than make a whole bunch of really interesting, deeply personal projects that may get lost in the shuffle."

He also revealed that last year's Oscar-winning Lincoln was "this close" to airing directly on HBO.

Lucas added that rising ticket prices are likely to see a boom in on-demand screening services and the relegation of cinema to a luxury experience.

"You're going to end up with fewer but bigger theatres [and] going to the movies is gonna cost you $50, $100, maybe even $150," he said.