The Rise of Longer Movies: How Run Times Have Evolved in Modern Cinema
Movie run times have been steadily increasing over the years, with major wide-release films getting longer. Research shows that the average length of a wide-release theatrical title has grown from around 106 minutes in the 1990s to 114 minutes in recent years. Films with big budgets, over $100 million, tend to be even longer. Additionally, pre-show advertising and trailers have expanded to average around 20 to 30 minutes, resulting in longer overall theater experiences. Action films, in particular, have seen a significant increase in length, now averaging 128 minutes, 25 minutes longer than a few decades ago. Franchise movies like Marvel, Mission: Impossible, and Fast & Furious films have contributed to this trend, with recent entries in popular franchises having record run times.
While franchise films have played a role in the lengthening of movies, non-franchise films have also surpassed the two-hour mark in recent years. Some recent examples include Project Hail Mary at 156 minutes, Dune: Part Two at 166 minutes, and Oppenheimer at 180 minutes. However, films made for less than $10 million have remained relatively consistent in length over the decades. The reasons for this trend are varied, including the rise of digital projection and studios wanting films to feel like major events to sell premium format theater tickets like IMAX. Ultimately, the main reason for longer films is that audiences seem to appreciate them, especially when it's a movie they are eager to see. The success of epic-length event pictures like The Lord of the Rings trilogy has shown that audiences are willing to sit through longer films for compelling content.
Director Denis Villeneuve has argued that young viewers, in particular, enjoy longer films because they crave meaningful content. He cited the example of his film Oppenheimer, a 3-hour, rated-R film about nuclear physics that was well-received by young audiences. Villeneuve believes that the youth are willing to watch long movies because they want to see something substantial and meaningful. This trend suggests that despite some moviegoers complaining about long run times, there is a growing appreciation for longer films, especially among younger audiences who seek out substantial content in their movie-watching experiences.