Zack Snyder really wants Rebel Moon director’s cut to test your movie runtime limits
A true test of your ability to watch a film in a single sitting
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The director’s cut of Zack Snyder’sRebel Moonmight end up being one of the longest movies ever made.
Speaking toIGN, Snyder explained that his forthcoming sci-fi epic, which will initially release in two parts, will clock in around the four hour mark.Rebel Moon Part 1: A Child of Fire, which arrives in December, is locked in at two hours. Its April 2024 sequel –Rebel Moon Part 2: The Scargiver– is still being edited, but Snyder suggests it’s “under two hours right now”, even if he doesn’t “know the exact runtime.”
The combined runtime ofRebel Moon’s initial cut, then, is comparable to the longest film in Snyder’s movie back catalog. That’ll beZack Snyder’s Justice League, the director’s cut of theDCEUflick that aired on HBO Max in March 2021, for anyone who didn’t know.
The extended cut ofJustice League, however, will pale in comparison toRebel Moon’s director’s cut when it launches onNetflix. As we reported in June,you’ll be able to watch two different cuts ofRebel Moonin the future, with an R-rated director’s cut followingRebel Moon’s PG-13 two-parter at an as-yet-unrevealed date.
Now, in a chat withNetflix Tudum, Snyder confirmed the extended cut will have “close to an hour of extra content.” So, ifRebel Moon’s director’s cut contains every scene from its two-part extravaganza, plus an extra 60 minutes of footage, its runtime will clock in at about five hours. In short, stock up on snacks and plan your bathroom breaks accordingly before setting in to stream it.
The first trailer for Snyder’s next film project arrived on August 22, and we thinkRebel Moonwill be Netflix’s answer toStar Wars. It also looks pretty good, although – based on its near-four-minute teaser alone – it’s difficult to surmise if it’ll join ourbest Netflix movieslist later this year.
A mammoth movie sitting, but not the most taxing
As Hollywood-developed movies go,Rebel Mooncould conceivably be the longest English language film of all-time.
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Currently, 1963’sCleopatraholds that record, with the historical epic’s runtime coming in at four hours and eight minutes. IfRebel Moon’s two parts end up having a combined running time of four hours, it’ll become the second longest Hollywood film ever made, bumping 1939’sGone With the Winddown to third place on the all-time list. Not only that, it’ll also become the longest movie ever to debut on one of the world’sbest streaming services. Right now, Netflix’sThe Irishmanholds that record with its three hour and 29 minute runtime.
That’s before we get onto its director’s cut, too. IfRebel Moon’s extended version exceeds five hours, it’ll be the 38th film in history to rack up a runtime of that length. Its nearest rival is 1994 docufilmTsahal, which runs for five hours and four minutes.
Eye-watering though the potential runtime ofRebel Moon’s director’s cut is, though, it’s got a long, long way to go to break into the longest movies of all-time’s top 10 list. 2006’s Filipino crime dramaHeremiascurrently sits in 10th position with a mind-blowing eight hour and 39 minute runtime. Meanwhile, top spot is reserved for 2019 Bangladeshi Bengali flickAmra Ekta Cinema Banabo, which will take you almost an entire day (yes, you read that right) to watch. Its runtime? An astronomical 21 hours and five minutes.
So, while you may baulk at theRebel Moon’s director’s cut’s possible five-hour runtime, just remember: it could be much, much worse. And hey, with the ability to pause the director’s cut on Netflix whenever you want/need to, you don’t have to streamRebel Moon’s extended cut in a single sitting when it eventually launches.
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As TechRadar’s senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You’ll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.
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