Matt Reeves' forthcomingThe Batmanhas been revealedas having a length of two hours and fifty-five minutes. While the news surprised many, the promise of a nearly three-hour-long movie about the Caped Crusader is a tantalizing one. While there aren’t many blockbusters that reach lengths over two-and-a-half hours, there are some shining examples that proved that a long evening in the theater can absolutely be worth it.
While prestige films often carry expanded runtimes, action blockbusters normally skew closer two hour runtimes. Recently, however, movies in the Marvel Cinematic UniverselikeSpider-Man: No Way HomeandEternalshave easily broken the 150 minute threshold. It seems as though long-winded spectacles might just become the new norm. In anticipation ofThe Batman, here are five blockbusters that pushed the limits of traditional length for theatrically released films.
RELATED:MCU: 5 Reasons Thanos Wasn’t The Bad Guy (And Why He Still Is)
Heat
Michael Mann’sHeatbrought Al Pacino and Robert De Niro to the screen together for the first time.The 1995 stone-cold crime classicsports a runtime of 170 minutes, and the screen is white-hot for that entire duration. WIth a supporting cast comprised of Val Kilmer, Tom Sizemore, Ashley Judd, Mykelti Williamson, Wes Studi, Danny Trejo, and Jon Voight, each character gets their time in the spotlight and the film is all the better for it.
Inspiring virtually the entire career of Christopher Nolan and influencing countless knockoffs and imitations,Heatis perhaps pound for pound the best crime film of all time. Following Pacino’s Lt. Hanna on his quest totake down De Niro’s bank robbingNeil McCauley, heat packs so much tension, action, intrigue, and drama into the almost three-hour-long runtime that it’s a wonder it didn’t bust. A serious and violent film,Heathas the power to leave viewers shaking by the time the credits roll.
The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
The final film in one of the most well-regarded trilogies of all time,Return of the Kingcame to theaterstoting a whopping 201-minute runtime. The film, which stars Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, and many more, grossed nearly $1.2 billion at the box-office and won eleven Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director. Coming after the equally well-receivedFellowship of the RingandThe Two Towers, fans and critics alike were supremely satisfied with this Peter Jackson-directed film.
Often cited as the best fantasy movie of all time,Return of the Kingearned its gargantuan runtimewith a story packed with action, heart, and more endings than one can shake a stick at. It set the benchmark for films of its ilk, and it’s arguably never been matched in the nineteen-year interim since its release. Many will tell you to stop with this one instead of continuing on to theHobbittrilogy, but here’s to hoping that Amazon’s new series brings the Middle Earth franchise back up to the quality that it used to retain.
The Dark Knight Rises
At this point,The Dark Knight Risesis an underrated gem. While it may sound crazy to hear that about a movie that grossed almost $1.1 billion dollars across the world, it’s true. This Christopher Nolan-directed trilogy capperis overblown and ridiculous at times, but it remains one of the better entries in the storiedBatmanfranchise. Picking up eight years afterThe Dark Knight’s end,Risesfinds a nearly-disabled Bruce Wayne on his search for redemption and his journey to take down his most fearsome opponent yet, Tom Hardy’s Bane.
The purportedly $300 million budgeted film looks absolutely incredible as director Nolan does not have a fondness for digital effects. It also features solid toamazing performances from the esteemed castincluding Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, and the aforementioned Tom Hardy. While maligned at the time for ludicrous plot conveniences and a messy plot,TDKRis better than most remember. At 165 minutes in length, there’s a lot to love.
Interstellar
Another Christopher Nolan film,Interstellarwas just as divisive upon release asRises. Matthew McConaughey tries to save the world from devastation here as he leads a crew of astronauts on a dangerous and time-consuming trek to find another habitable planet for earthlings to relocate to. The 169-minute runtime sees that Nolan gets to make what is veritably his Kubrick homage and, in the process, pulling off one of the finest science-fiction films of the new millenium.
McConaughey is joined here by Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Michael Caine, Casey Affleck, Topher Grace, and a young Timothée Chalamet. The entire cast is incredible, and the script uses them to their full potential. A film packed with equal parts awe, intensity, and raw emotion,Interstellardevotes its lengthy runtime to telling a story wrapped in heartfelt sensitivity thatavoids the pitfalls of sentimental sci-fi disastersthat came before. It’s a masterpiece, and viewers will most likely be glad to turn over three hours of their lives to it.
Avengers: Endgame
At one time the highest-grossing movie of all time,there isn’t much left to be said aboutEndgamethat hasn’t already been said. The culmination of no less than twenty films, this three-hour-and-one-minute odyssey is a sensationally jaw-dropping adventure that delivers the goods. With a cast including everyone anyone’s ever heard of and a budget that some say nears $400 million, it’s one of the largest undertakings in cinematic history.
With a story that tackles loss, grief, revenge, guilt, and time travel,there isn’t a minute wasted here. Each character is treated with unequaled devotion and all of the actors bring their A-game.Endgamewas such a success that Marvel Studios and Disney have been trying to create something of equal pleasure and importance ever since. It’s a film so big and so good that it set a benchmark that perhaps will never be met. A capper on one of the most interesting and successful film franchises of all time,Endgameearns its length and much, much more.
MORE:The Batman Director Mercifully Says The Film Will Not Be An Origin Story
