Star Wars: JJ Abrams Jokes That 'The Rise of Skywalker' Could Be Four Hours Long

Epic films call for epic runtimes. At least, they do when the film is Avengers: Endgame. Much has [...]

By Nicole Drum

Epic films call for epic runtimes. At least, they do when the film is Avengers: Endgame. Much has been made of the upcoming conclusion to the Infinity Saga's three-hour runtime, including rumors that the film would require an intermission. But Endgame isn't the only saga-ending film hitting theaters this year. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is closing the book on the long-running Skywalker Saga and now director J.J. Abrams is joking that the film could have an even longer runtime -- 4 hours.

In an interview with Good Morning America's Paula Faris, Abrams joked that The Rise of Skywalker's final runtime could be anywhere from five minutes to four hours, but because the film is still in editing it's currently at around 90 minutes.

"Right now, its 90 minutes because we're not done editing yet," Abrams said.

Now, while there are fans who would absolutely show up for a four-hour Star Wars movie, it's important to keep in mind that Abrams is joking. At four hours, The Rise of Skywalker would be more like two movies (and would absolutely need an intermission). Of course, the film would certainly have enough story to tell over the course of four hours. We got our first look at The Rise of Skywalker yesterday with the film's first trailer and not only are their big questions about exactly what the film's title means, but how it all comes together its characters -- including Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) -- "inheriting everything that's come before in previous generations."

"Whether it's sins of the father, the wisdom they've acquired, and the question is, can this new generation -- are they up to the task?" Abrams told ET Live. "Can they stand up to what they have to? And so in a way I feel like we, coming into this movie, have inherited a lot and the question is can we do it, and that's a question we ask ourselves every day."

There's also the matter of surprise return of Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid). The final seconds of the trailer hint at the villain's return and was later confirmed by both McDiarmid and Abrams. That story alone is a huge one, but it's one that fans will have to wait to see unfold. The details of The Rise of Skywalker's plot is still carefully guarded, though Abrams did explain at this week's Star Wars Celebration some time has passed since The Last Jedi.

"The movie doesn't pick up immediately after the last film. Some time has passed," Abrams said. "This movie is an adventure the group goes on together. One of the great things about getting to work on the movie is the dynamic between all of the characters. They're amazing together, and it's something I'm excited for you all to see."

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker opens in theaters December 20.

Would you watch a four-hour Star Wars movie? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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