When James Gunn’s Superman arrives in theaters this summer, audiences might have to strap themselves in for a long ride. Hollywood insider Jeff Sneider notes in his newsletter that the film has a run time of 2 hours, 20 minutes, making it 140 minutes long. That figure is in the same ballpark as Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, which was 143 minutes long. It’s important to keep in mind that this reported run time for Superman is not official and the number could change before its premiere this July.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Compared to the other DC Extended Universe installments featuring Superman, Gunn’s film would be shorter than Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (152 minutes), but longer than the theatrical cut of Justice League (120 minutes). Superman is also shaping up to be shorter than 2006’s Superman Returns, which ran for 154 minutes.
The first theatrical release of Gunn’s DC Universe reboot, Superman is said to be under an enormous amount of pressure to perform. Some believe that if the film falls short of box office expectations, it could lead to Warner Bros. being sold to or merged with another corporation (a la Fox’s acquisition by Disney). Though the franchise is still in its infancy, some announced projects have been pushed to the back burner, sparking concerns about the DC Universe’s sense of direction.
[RELATED – Superman Rumor Teases “Major Casting Surprise” (Is It Tom Cruise or Chris Pratt?)]
In the build-up to Superman‘s release, Gunn has been generating excitement by sharing behind-the-scenes looks at the film. He’s recently posted photos showcasing Mr. Terrific’s comics-accurate look and María Gabriela de Faría as villain the Engineer.
Superman‘s rumored run time is a fairly standard length for moden studio tentpoles. Coincidentally, Marvel’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps is also alleged to be 140 minutes long. Unlike Snyder, Gunn is eschewing the classic origin story in his Superman, but the film still has a lot on its plate to cover. As the first feature film in a new franchise, the movie serves as many people’s introduction to the DC Universe and will have its hands full establishing various characters and dynamics. Some of the characters included in the movie, like Milly Alcock’s Supergirl and Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner, are set to appear in future DC Universe projects, so it will be important for Superman to set them up in a way that gets audiences excited. This all takes time, and it’s better if Superman has the necessary room to ensure all of these elements can breathe as opposed to being rushed. It would be a shame if the shared universe got off on the wrong foot.
Of course, a long run time can be a detriment if the story isn’t properly paced. Fortunately, Gunn perfected his entertaining filmmaking style on the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, so it’s difficult to envision a scenario where Superman drags. While it might not be as much of a comedy as Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy films or even The Suicide Squad, the director has proven his ability to craft energetic comic book adaptations that engage viewers on an emotional level. As long as he gets audiences invested in Kal-El’s journey, Superman‘s run time will fly by faster than a speeding bullet.
