With a few new characters making their cinematic debut in the film, many have been expecting "Justice League" to have a ridiculous runtime. Thankfully, that will not be the case for Zack Snyder's epic team-up.
Manabyte, citing three sources close to the production of the movie, has confirmed that "Justice League" will be the shortest of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) films so far. Theaters were reportedly informed this week that the superhero flick will run for only 121 mins (or 2 hours and 1 minute).
In comparison, "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" is the longest so far clocking in at 151 minutes, followed by "Man of Steel," which was 143 minutes long, and "Wonder Woman" with 141 minutes. "Suicide Squad" on the other hand, ran for 123 minutes.
There were earlier rumors saying that "Justice League" will be nearly three hours long. But, "Avengers" director Joss Whedon, who took on the post-production duties after Zack Snyder's departure, reportedly oversaw extensive reshoots and did a few trims to the movie, making it more straightforward.
Batman actor Ben Affleck said Whedon had brought "what good directors bring" to the table: "A sense of what's gonna work in the story and what isn't." Taking some influence from his work with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Affleck commended the director for doing a tremendous job of making "Justice League" more of a character-driven story.
Of course, there are concerns that the runtime might be too short and choppy because of the two different directors. The movie will be introducing a number of very important characters and laying the groundwork for the next few DCEU entries at the same time, after all. Some fans fear that some heroes would be pushed to the sidelines without enough screen time.
However, if early feedbacks are anything to go by, "Justice League" still promises an "epic" experience despite being the shortest DC movie. Detailed reviews are embargoed for quite a while, so fans will have to wait until it opens in cinemas on Nov. 17.
In related news, a sequel is already being written, as confirmed by J.K. Simmons, who plays Commissioner Gordon in the first movie. Details are scarce at this point, although Simmons teased that it would introduce the incarnation of his character.
