In Hollywood, there is no shortage of movies with long runtimes; a quick glance at the superhero films of late will tell you all you need to know. While long movies don’t necessarily equate to success, with the right team and the right director, it could mean the difference between a box office bomb and a worldwide blockbuster.
Director James Cameron has mastered the language of long-form films. His track record with movies like Titanic and Avatar has proven his ability to make every minute count. He’s cemented himself as one of Hollywood’s most prominent storytellers with a fan base willing to sit through almost anything he makes, regardless of how long it is.
After 13 long years, Cameron’s box-office-shattering film, Avatar is finally getting the sequel fans were promised. Although it has battled it out at the box office with Avengers: Endgame, Avatar still remains the highest-grossing movie of all time with $2.8 billion at the global box office. It’s safe to assume its highly-anticipated sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water will be anything but small, in budget, profit, or runtime.
What is the official runtime for Avatar: The Way of Water?
As we inch closer to the release of Avatar: The Way of Water, there have been rumors about the film’s runtime. People have expressed bathroom-related worries, and moans over the increasing length of cinema in recent years with what appears to be an effort to come across as “elevated” or “profound.”
Cameron has little time for such concerns. He believes that anyone who can binge-watch Stranger Things in a single weekend can sit through a three-hour movie, which is about how long Avatar: The Way of Water is.
The first Avatar had a runtime of two hours and forty-two minutes, and while that’s by no means the longest movie ever made, it still is no sliver of time either. Given the uncharted success of the film and the anticipation surrounding its sequel, is it really any wonder that Avatar: The Way of Water would secure an even larger runtime? That’s right, Avatar: The Way of Water‘s official runtime is three hours and 10 min. So, be smart with your water intake, folks.
To freshen up on the details of the first Avatar movie, you can learn more here. Avatar: The Way of Water premieres in theaters around the world on Dec. 16.