When comparing total running time, Hollywood’s longest movies struggle to hold a torch to international epics. The longest cinematic films ever released touch the 24-hour mark. But a surprising number of American films have been released with runtimes long enough to make an audience think twice before buying a ticket.
Yes, plenty of movies have given audiences pause for thought over the years — you know, the kind of films that make you hesitate before grabbing that large drink in the foyer.
They’re not all historical or Biblical epics, either. Genres vary from crime dramas and comedies to war films and movies based on comic books.
Could streaming content trigger a trend to longer movies, merging miniseries and long-form narratives, and reaching back to the era of classic Hollywood epics? That’s still up in the cards, as the majority of this list are the vast productions of Tinsel Town’s Golden Age. That being said, future lists could see them fighting for their place as modern streaming films make their presence known. After all, the most recent film on the list is a superpowered streaming exclusive.
Here are the 15 longest films ever produced by Hollywood.
The Godfather Part II (1974) ⏤ 3h 22m
The Godfather Part II chronicles the continuing saga of the Corleone crime family, as a young Vito Corleone grows up in Sicily and in 1910s New York and as Michael Corleone tries to expand the family business into Las Vegas, Hollywood, and Cuba in the 1950s. It was filmed in 104 days and was reportedly one of the first long movies that needed an intermission–and apparently was originally intended to have one.
In the seven-plus hour miniseries The Godfather Saga, which arranged the first two films chronologically, additional scenes were added that were not included in the theatrical version. An extra hour or so (approximately 73 minutes) exists of The Godfather.
After Apocalypse Now ran over budget, Coppola asked his editor Barry Malkin to make a chronological cut of the first two The Godfather films. Critics felt the new edit resulted in a far less effective film at 434 minutes, but fans got a chance to see over an hour of deleted scenes and footage. Not all of this footage appeared on home video.
Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) ⏤ 3h 26m
Adapted from the book Killers of the Flower Moon, the upcoming film focuses on the investigation into a series of mysterious murders of wealthy Osage people in the early 1920s in Osage County, Oklahoma, which led to an FBI investigation led by J. Edgar Hoover. Osage people were murdered after large oil deposits were discovered under their land, for which they were awarded a court-determined claim to profit.
It is the most expensive biographical film to date, surpassing Martin Scorsese’s own The Irishman (2019), which cost $159 million. The film also overtakes The Matrix Resurrections (2021), which cost $190 million, to become the most expensive R-rated film in the U.S.
The Irishman (2019) ⏤ 3h 29m
The Irishman is a portrait of Frank Sheeran’s life as a WWI veteran, a hitman for the Bufalino crime family, and alleged assassinator of his close friend Jimmy Hoffa, 62, who mysteriously disappeared at the age of 62 in late July 1975.
This is Martin Scorsese’s longest film ever directed and the longest mainstream film released in over two decades. The Irishman also took 106 days to shoot, the lengthiest filming schedule of Scorsese’s career. One version of the movie was rumored to have exceeded 4 hours in running time and to have been conceived as a two-part film at one point. In March 2018, it was reported that the budget for the film had risen to $175 million.
Titanic (1997) ⏤ 3h 30m
One of the most famous ‘long’ movies of all time, Titanic, was notorious for its extended and challenging production. After its release, it was just as famous for its gigantic box office numbers. That was thanks to its renowned re-watchability. Many moviegoers returned to theaters repeatedly for the unlikely but compelling romance between Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. Those repeat visits were surprising, considering its runtime exceeded three hours.
It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) — 3h 30m
Comedy and epic don’t often go together when it comes to films. Stanley Kramer’s caper dragged a massive cast of comedians through a madcap attempt to track down $350,000 in stolen cash.
Despite being a commercial and critical success, distributor United Artists radically reduced its runtime for general release, against the director’s wishes. A full-length restoration wasn’t available until 2014.
Heaven’s Gate (1980) — 3h 39m
The making of longer-duration films comes with significant risks. The production costs are likely to be higher, and movie theaters are restricted on how many showings they can offer. Heaven’s Gate is one of the most famous flops in Hollywood history and caused lasting reputational damage.
Despite previous triumphs, including The Deer Hunter, director Michael Cimino’s stock never recovered from this epic western’s reception.
Gods and Generals (2003) — 3h 39m
A decade after Gettysburg (see below), Ronald F. Maxwell adapted Jeffrey Shaara’s novel Gods and Generals as an epic prequel. It lost an hour for its theatrical release, while the 2011 director’s cut restored the originally intended runtime and Maxwell’s vision.
Even at a shorter duration, it performed poorly, ruling out a third collaboration between the filmmaker and author.
The Ten Commandments (1956) — 3h 40m
Charlton Heston made more than one movie with a Biblical approach to duration. This epic story of Moses stands as one of the most famous films of Epic Golden Age Hollywood.
It was producer, director, and narrator Cecil B. DeMille’s final movie, but also his most successful. Adjusting its gross for inflation, it remains the eighth highest-grossing film of all time.
Gone with the Wind (1939) — 3h 41m
The chances are that when you think of epic Hollywood films, this sweeping Reconstruction-era historical romance is at the top of the list.
It’s a much-referenced and parodied movie, but unlike fellow classics, Gone With the Wind has not aged well. It has since attracted particular controversy for its use of racial stereotypes and outdated views on relationships.
Lawrence Of Arabia (1962) — 3h 42m
Quite probably David Lean’s greatest film, Lawrence of Arabia, won seven Academy Awards and remains highly influential. The original release ran for about 222 minutes (including overture and intermission), but the later re-release is recognized as definitive at 20 minutes shorter.
It remains the longest film to win the Best Picture Oscar, beating Gone with the Wind by a whole one minute.
Once Upon a Time in America (1984) — 3h 39m
Sergio Leone made a name for himself with Spaghetti Westerns, but his longest movie was this crime drama set on the streets of New York City. Leone returned to directing for the first time in 13 years to close his Once Upon a Time trilogy.
Leone’s original 4-hour 29-minute cut was shortened to 3 hours, 49 minutes before a chronological version was assembled without Leone’s involvement. That proved to be a box office disaster, while the director’s original remains one of the best-regarded gangster films ever made.
Hamlet (1996) — 4h 2m
Kenneth Branagh was determined to capture Shakespeare’s play on film in its entirety, and the result was stunning. The original folio texts, which exist in various forms, are often cut for stage productions, let alone movie adaptations.
Branagh’s vibrant direction and its Victorian staging ensure that the four-hour, two-minute runtime flies by.
Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021) — 4h 2m
The Justice League may not have reached their final confrontation with Darkseid, but they beat Hamlet to a draw. Zack Snyder’s director’s cut was a surprise announcement commissioned by HBO Max.
The epic result corrected Joss Whedon’s version that had underwhelmed in 2017, provided the DC Extended Universe with a chance to pause, and set the bar for comic book adaptations.
Cleopatra (1963) — 4h 8m
Epic in scale, Cleopatra’s legendarily difficult production included multiple reshoots of 1,500 extras. Elizabeth Taylor’s record-breaking 65 costume changes helped make it the most expensive film ever made at release.
It may have almost dragged down a studio, but it’s now regarded as one of the greats.
Gettysburg (1993) — 4h 8m
Legendary producer and media pioneer Ted Turner planned to adapt Michael Shaara’s The Killer Angels as a TV miniseries until he saw the early footage and was convinced it should play in theaters.
Gettysburg focuses on the three-day Civil War battle of the title, following characters on both sides. It’s more regarded for its battle scenes than its dialogue, but Gettysburg still received favorable reviews from critics and moviegoers. A later home media release added an extra 30 minutes.
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy ⏤ Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002), and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) ⏤ 9h 17m
This blockbuster fantasy epic follows the young Hobbit Frodo Baggins, as he and the Fellowship embark on a quest to destroy the One Ring, ensuring Sauron’s demise. Peter Jackson’s three films were filmed in his native New Zealand simultaneously and entirely over an eight-year period, making it among the biggest film projects ever undertaken with a budget of $280 million.
Many fans and critics have come to consider the trilogy a single film because the films were shot together and then edited into three films released theatrically over three consecutive years. The book was originally intended to be a single novel but was first released in three parts for marketing and budget reasons (resulting in the common but inaccurate label of “trilogy”).
In addition to the theatrical releases on DVD, all three films in the trilogy had Special Extended Editions. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Extended Edition is about 11 hours and 22 minutes long, which is 2 hours and 5 minutes longer than the original trilogy. In this version, many new scenes are added per film, along with some adjustments from the theatrical version that aid in the run time.
