What is the longest movie ever made? Avatar 2, Marvel, Harry Potter & more

What’s the longest movie of all time? Avatar 2, James Cameron’s epic sequel, has a huge runtime – but what’s the longest movie ever made, and what’s the longest movie in Marvel, Harry Potter, Disney, and other franchises? 

The Godfather Part II, The Wolf of Wall Street, Schindler’s List, Titanic, The Irishman, and Avengers: Endgame; what do they all have in common? They’re all at least three hours long, earning their deliciously gargantuan runtimes with stories of infamy, tragedy, and infinity. 

Alas, the look of pure ecstasy across my partner’s eyes when I tell her a movie is 90 minutes or less tells me something: long movies are out of fashion. More accurately, they’re even more common, though often without the substance to justify their length – nor are intermissions commonplace, which helped liven the numbness of a long sit. 

James Cameron is the exception: Avatar: The Way of Water is an extraordinary, soul-swallowing achievement worthy of its runtime – but it may have you thinking: if Avatar 2 is considered long, what is the longest movie ever made? 

Contents

• Longest cinematic movie
• Longest experimental movie
• Longest James Cameron movie
• Longest Marvel movie
• Longest Harry Potter movie
• Longest Disney movie
• Longest Star Wars movie
• Longest Lord of the Rings movie
• Longest Hollywood movie
• Longest animated movie

20th Century Studios

Avatar 2 is one of James Cameron’s longest movies.

The longest movies ever made 

Fittingly, the answer to this question can’t be answered quickly. There are a number of different factors to consider. Is it a film intended for theatrical entertainment, or is it experimental in nature? Was it shown on TV in multiple parts, yet still considered a movie, like Twin Peaks: The Return?

While excluding the latter subset of “long movies,” this article will break the history of lengthy cinema into separate categories, as well as the longest movie in a number of franchises, including the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Disney, Star Wars, and Lord of the Rings. 

What is the longest movie ever made? 

While the Guinness World Records say the longest movie ever made is 1987’s The Cure of Insomnia, it’s actually Amra Ekta Cinema Banabo, also known as The Innocence. 

Directed and written by Ashram Shishir, it has a whopping runtime of 21 hours and five minutes (1265 minutes), and is the longest non-experimental movie of all time. 

Below you’ll find a list of the longest movies ever made, including Amra Ekta Cinema Banabo: 

If you were expecting to see the likes of Gone With the Wind, Lawrence of Arabia, and Cleopatra on there – don’t worry, we’ll get to those. 

What is the longest experimental movie ever made? 

The longest experimental movie is Logistics, which has a runtime of 35 days and 17 hours (51,420 minutes). 

Directed by Erika Magnusson and Daniel Andersson, the film follows the production cycle of a pedometer in reverse chronological order. It was screened between December 1, 2012, and January 6, 2013, before premiering at the 2014 Shenzhen Fringe Film Festival. 

This isn’t a movie designed for entertainment or mainstream audiences, hence why it’s considered an experimental film. Below is a short list of the longest experimental movies ever made: 

• Logistics: 51,420 minutes (35 days 17 hours) 
• Modern Times Forever: 14,400 minutes (10 days) 
• Beijing 2003: 9,000 minutes (6 days 6 hours) 
• Cinématon: 9,000 minutes (6 days 6 hours) 
• Untitled #125 (Hickory): 7,200 minutes (120 hours 5 days) 

What is James Cameron’s longest movie ever made? 

Avatar remains the longest movie James Cameron has ever made, with a runtime of 3 hours and 14 minutes (194 minutes). It’s closely followed by Avatar 2, which has a runtime of 3 hours and 12 minutes (192 minutes). 

Below are all of James Cameron’s movies, only including their original theatrical release, ranked in order of runtime: 

• Titanic: 194 minutes (3 hours 14 minutes)
• Avatar The Way of Water: 192 minutes (3 hours 12 minutes)
• Avatar: 162 minutes (2 hours 42 minutes)
• True Lies: 141 minutes (2 hours 21 minutes)
• The Abyss: 139 minutes (2 hours 19 minutes)
• Terminator 2 Judgment Day: 137 minutes (2 hours 17 minutes)
• Aliens: 137 minutes (2 hours 17 minutes)
• The Terminator: 107 minutes (1 hour 47 minutes) 
• Piranha II The Spawning: 94 minutes (1 hour 4 minutes)

What is the longest Marvel movie ever made? 

The longest Marvel movie is Avengers: Endgame, with a runtime of three hours and two minutes (182 minutes). 

Below you’ll find a list of the top five longest Marvel movies ever made: 

• Avengers Endgame: 182 minutes (3 hours 2 minutes) 
• Black Panther Wakanda Forever: 161 minutes (2 hours 41 minutes) 
• Eternals: 157 minutes (2 hours 37 minutes)
• Avengers Infinity War: 149 minutes (2 hours 29 minutes)
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2 hours 29 minutes)
• Spider-Man No Way Home: 148 minutes (2 hours 28 minutes)

What is the longest Harry Potter movie ever made? 

The Chamber of Secrets is the longest Harry Potter movie ever made, with a runtime of two hours and 41 minutes. 

Every Harry Potter movie has been more than two hours, all the way from The Philosopher’s Stone to The Deathly Hallows Part II. 

Below is a list of every Harry Potter movie, ranked in order of runtime: 

• The Chamber of Secrets:  161 minutes (2 hours 41 minutes)
• The Goblet of Fire: 157 minutes (2 hours 37 minutes)
• The Half-Blood Prince: 153 minutes (2 hours 33 minutes)
• The Philosopher’s Stone: 152 minutes (2 hours 32 minutes)
• The Deathly Hallows Part 1: 147 minutes (2 hours 27 minutes)
• The Prisoner of Azkaban: 142 minutes (2 hours and 22 minutes)
• The Order of the Phoenix: 138 minutes (2 hours and 18 minutes)
• The Deathly Hallows Part 2: 130 minutes (2 hours 10 minutes)

What is the longest Disney movie ever made? 

Fantasia is the longest Disney movie ever made, with a runtime of 126 minutes, as per the Guinness World Records.

Yes, Disney owns Star Wars and Marvel, and Pirates of the Caribbean is under the House of Mouse banner – but that’s not why you’re asking for the longest Disney movie, so let’s not waste time with that pedantry. However, this does take Pixar movies into account. 

Below you’ll find a list of the top five longest Disney movies ever made: 

• The Little Mermaid (2023): 135 minutes (2 hours 15 minutes)
• Cruella (2021): 134 minutes (2 hours 14 minutes)
• Beauty and the Beast (2017): 129 minutes (2 hours 9 minutes)
• Aladdin (2019): 128 minutes (2 hours 8 minutes)
• Fantasia: 126 minutes (2 hours 6 minutes) 
• The Incredibles: 126 minutes (2 hours 6 minutes) 
• The Lion King (2019): 118 minutes (1 hour 58 minutes)
• Cars: 117 minutes (1 hour 57 minutes) 
• The Incredibles: 115 minutes (1 hour 55 minutes) 
• Mulan (2020): 115 minutes (1 hour 55 minutes)
• Ralph Breaks the Internet: 112 minutes (1 hour 52 minutes) 
• Dumbo (2019): 112 minutes (1 hour 52 minutes)

What is the longest Star Wars movie ever made? 

The Rise of Skywalker is the longest Star Wars movie ever made, with a runtime of 155 minutes. 

Every Star Wars movie, including Rogue One and Solo, has been at least two hours long. Below you’ll find a list of every Star Wars movie, ranked in order of runtime: 

• The Rise of Skywalker: 155 minutes (2 hours 35 minutes)
• The Last Jedi: 152 minutes (2 hours 32 minutes)
• Attack of the Clones: 142 minutes (2 hours 22 minutes)
• Revenge of the Sith: 140 minutes (2 hours 20 minutes)
• The Force Awakens: 138 minutes (2 hours 18 minutes)
• The Phantom Menace: 136 minutes (2 hours 16 minutes)
• Solo A Star Wars Story: 135 minutes (2 hours 15 minutes)
• Rogue One A Star Wars Story: 133 minutes (2 hours 13 minutes)
• Return of the Jedi: 131 minutes (2 hours 11 minutes)
• The Empire Strikes Back: 124 minutes (2 hours 4 minutes)
• A New Hope: 121 minutes (2 hours 1 minute)

What is the longest Lord of the Rings movie ever made? 

The Return of the King Extended Edition is the longest Lord of the Rings movie ever made, with a runtime of four hours and 23 minutes (263 minutes). 

Including The Hobbit trilogy and the animated film, every Lord of the Rings movie has been at least over two hours long, if not more than three hours. 

Below is every Lord of the Rings movie, ranked in order of runtime and including extended editions: 

• The Return of the King Extended Edition: 263 minutes (4 hours 23 minutes)
• The Two Towers Extended Edition: 223 minutes (3 hours 43 minutes)
• The Fellowship of the Ring: 208 minutes (3 hours 28 minutes) 
• The Return of the King Theatrical Edition: 201 minutes (3 hours 21 minutes)
• The Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition: 186 minutes (3 hours 6 minutes)
• An Unexpected Journey Theatrical Edition: 182 minutes (3 hours 2 minutes) 
• The Two Towers Theatrical Edition: 179 minutes (2 hours 59 minutes)
• The Fellowship of the Ring Theatrical Edition: 178 minutes (2 hours 58 minutes) 
• An Unexpected Journey Theatrical Edition: 169 minutes (2 hours 49 minutes)
• The Battle of the Five Armies Extended Edition: 164 minutes (2 hours 44 minutes)
• The Desolation of Smaug Theatrical Edition: 161 minutes (2 hours 41 minutes) 
• The Battle of the Five Armies Theatrical Edition: 144 minutes (2 hours 24 minutes)
• The Lord of the Rings: 132 minutes (2 hours 12 minutes)

What is the longest Hollywood movie ever made? 

Cleopatra remains the longest Hollywood movie ever made, with a runtime of four hours and eight minutes (248 minutes). This is closely followed by Gone with the Wind, which comes in just 10 minutes behind.

Below you’ll find the top five longest Hollywood movies ever made, excluding director’s cuts, ranked in order of runtime: 

• Cleopatra: 248 minutes (4 hours 8 minutes) 
• Gone with the Wind: 238 minutes (3 hours 58 minutes)
• Once Upon a Time in America: 229 minutes (3 hours 49 minutes)
• The Ten Commandments: 220 minutes (3 hours 40 minutes) 
• Lawrence of Arabia: 216 minutes (3 hours 36 minutes)

What is the longest animated movie ever made? 

In This Corner (and Other Corners) of the World is the longest animated movie of all time, with a runtime of 168 minutes. 

Below you’ll find the top five longest animated movies ever made, including anime, ranked In order of runtime: 

• In This Corner (and Other Corners) of the World: 168 minutes (2 hours 47 minutes) 
• Final Yamato: 163 minutes (2 hours 43 minutes)
• The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya: 162 minutes (2 hours 42 minutes)
• The Tragedy of Man: 160 minutes (2 hours 40 minutes)
• Sangokushi The Distance Land: 157 minutes (2 hours 37 minutes)

Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time just misses the cut with a runtime of two hours and 35 minutes (155 minutes). 

Those are the longest movies ever made – but what’s the highest-grossing movie of all time? We’ve got a list of the top 50, including Avatar and Top Gun: Maverick, here.