The Growing Length of Modern Movies
“That was a bit long, wasn’t it?”
This is a comment you often hear after leaving the cinema or when discussing films with friends. If you’re a regular reader of our weekly Film of the Week series, you may have noticed that this critique frequently comes up: many films could benefit from being cut by about 20 minutes. Not all, of course, but enough to make the point.
Is this just a perception shaped by our shorter attention spans due to social media and online content? Or is there a real trend of movies getting longer?
According to recent research, it’s not just your imagination. Movies are indeed getting longer. Stephen Follows, a researcher and film industry analyst, recently appeared on The Town podcast and shared his findings. He analyzed the running times of 36,431 movies released theatrically from 1980 to 2025 — a massive undertaking. His data reveals a clear trend.
“The average running time has remained relatively stable for decades,” says Follows. “It has hovered around 100 to 103 minutes since the 1980s. In 2024, the average film was 103.6 minutes long.”
However, this is the average across all films. When looking specifically at “wide theatrical releases,” the numbers tell a different story. In the 1990s and early 2000s, these films averaged 106 minutes. By the current decade, that figure had risen to 114 minutes. That means movies today are roughly 10 minutes longer than they were 20 years ago.
A Shift in Film Lengths Over Time
The percentage of wide releases that run under 90 minutes has also dropped significantly over the past 40 years. In the 1980s, about 13% of such films were under 90 minutes. By the 2020s, that number had fallen to 7%.
Follows’ study also highlights that films with blockbuster budgets (over $100 million) tend to be even longer. Additionally, pre-show advertising and trailers have expanded, averaging around 20 to 30 minutes.
Action Films Lead the Trend
Which genre is most responsible for this trend? According to Follows, action films are leading the charge. These movies now average 128 minutes — a staggering 25 minutes longer than a few decades ago.
Take the Indiana Jones franchise as an example. The first film, Raiders of the Lost Ark, ran for 115 minutes in 1981. Fast forward to 2023’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, which stretched to 154 minutes — a significant increase.
Similarly, the original Mission: Impossible movie in 1996 lasted 110 minutes, while the latest installment, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, ran for 170 minutes. The James Bond franchise also shows a similar pattern. Sean Connery’s debut in Dr. No in 1962 lasted 109 minutes, while the latest Bond film, No Time To Die, ran for 163 minutes.
Even the Avatar series has seen a dramatic increase in runtime. The most recent instalment, Avatar: Fire And Ash, clocks in at 197 minutes. Meanwhile, Marvel’s Multiverse Saga films average 123 minutes each.
Beyond Franchises
It’s not just franchise films that have grown in length. Recent box office hits like Project Hail Mary run for 156 minutes, while Oscar-winning films such as One Battle After Another and Oppenheimer clock in at 162 and 180 minutes, respectively.
Of course, not every minute is wasted in these films, but audiences might need to plan for bathroom breaks before the lights go down.
Why Are Movies Getting Longer?
Follows admits that there isn’t a single answer to explain why movie runtimes are increasing. However, he suggests several possible reasons. Studios may want films to feel like major events, and cinemas might be trying to justify higher ticket prices by offering longer experiences.
He also notes that longer films could be seen as better value for money, encouraging audiences to stay for the full duration.
Should Cinemas Bring Back the Intermission?
Follows’ full breakdown — complete with graphs and charts — offers a detailed look at this growing trend. It raises an interesting question: Should cinemas bring back the intermission?
What do you think? Are longer runtimes a positive development or a negative one? While we don’t want to directly link film length to quality, does the trend suggest that modern audiences are seeking more immersive cinematic experiences?
