Paramount
The length of a movie is often a topic of discussion, though it might seem frivolous like arguing about the treatment of a title. It only becomes a concern when you purchase your tickets and try to plan your day around it. Whether the movie is 80 minutes or 200 minutes long, it shouldn’t affect your enjoyment of the film. It might seem strange if a sweeping Western is under two hours or a rom-com extends beyond two and a half hours, but that’s not a big deal. If anything, it’s intriguing that the film is already defying your expectations before you even step into the cinema. And remember, judging a movie based on its promotional materials is just as silly.
Ridley Scott, the acclaimed director behind “Alien,” “Blade Runner,” and “American Gangster,” is known for releasing shortened versions of his films in theaters, knowing he’ll have the opportunity to release an extended or altered version later. Sometimes, these re-edits seem unnecessary, like his rushed 2003 Director’s Cut of “Alien”. However, at other times, they are crucial, like his impressive 194-minute version of the initially disjointed, 144-minute theatrical cut of “Kingdom of Heaven”.
Recently, he added 48 minutes to the 157-minute award season version of “Napoleon,” and most people who have seen it believe that the longer cut is the definitive version of the film. As the release of Scott’s eagerly anticipated “Gladiator II” approaches, fans are curious about how the sequel will compare to the 2000 Best Picture winner and whether the version they’ll see in theaters will be the final cut.
So, let’s examine the newly announced runtime.
Are you not entertained (at an exhibitor friendly length)?
Paramount
According to the British Board of Film Classification, “Gladiator II” will be rated 15 and have a runtime of 148 minutes. This is seven minutes shorter than the theatrical cut of “Gladiator,” which later had an extended 171-minute home video release. This might be surprising, given that the film’s three major stars (Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, and Paul Mescal) likely expected to have fully developed character arcs. Can Scott meet all three actors’ screen-time expectations?
Based on Scott’s track record, I’m inclined to believe the answer is yes. However, I’ve heard that he tested the film with a runtime of about three hours. Losing half an hour is a significant amount of film. Past experiences suggest that Scott will likely release a longer cut at some point, but given the way the “Gladiator” cuts worked out, this doesn’t necessarily indicate problems for the sequel.
Would you refuse to watch “Gladiator II” regardless of its length or rating? The BBFC 15 rating suggests that the sequel will receive an MPA rating of PG-13, slightly softer than the 2000 film’s R rating. We’ll discover what Scott has planned for us when the film, which he’s betting will be successful enough to warrant a second sequel, hits theaters on November 3, 2024.
Credit: www.slashfilm.com
