The Marvels' (aka Captain Marvel 2) newly confirmed runtime just set an MCU record.
Set to arrive in theaters on Friday, November 10, the sequel to 2019's Captain Marvel reunites Brie Larson's Carol Danvers with Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury while also bringing two MCU Disney+ stars, Iman Vellani's Ms. Marvel and Teyonah Paris' Monica Rambeau, to the big screen.
However, in the case of this Captain Marvel story, higher, further, faster doesn't necessarily mean longer.
The Marvels' Record Runtime Confirmed
Disney has now confirmed that The Marvels' runtime is, in fact, 1 hour and 45 minutes, breaking the record for the shortest MCU movie to date.
While this was expected thanks to cinema listings, this is the first time Disney verified the Marvel Studios film's length.
Not only is Captain Marvel 2 eight minutes shorter than The Incredible Hulk and Thor: The Dark World, both of which were previously the shortest movies in the MCU library, but the film is 18 minutes shorter than the original Captain Marvel film.
The runtimes of all Marvel Studios movies to date are listed below in order of shortest to longest:
- The Incredible Hulk - 1 hour, 52 minutes
- Thor: The Dark World - 1 hour, 52 minutes
- Thor - 1 hour, 55 minutes
- Doctor Strange - 1 hour, 55 minutes
- Ant-Man - 1 hour, 57 minutes
- Ant-Man & the Wasp - 1 hour, 58 minutes
- Thor: Love and Thunder - 1 hour, 59 minutes
- Guardians of the Galaxy - 2 hours, 1 minute
- Captain Marvel - 2 hours, 3 minutes
- Iron Man 2 - 2 hours, 4 minutes
- Captain America: The First Avenger - 2 hours, 4 minutes
- Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania - 2 hours, 5 minutes
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness - 2 hours, 6 minutes
- Iron Man - 2 hours, 6 minutes
- Spider-Man: Far From Home - 2 hours, 9 minutes
- Iron Man 3 - 2 hours, 10 minutes
- Thor: Ragnarok - 2 hours, 10 minutes
- Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings - 2 hours, 12 minutes
- Spider-Man: Homecoming - 2 hours, 13 minutes
- Black Panther - 2 hours, 14 minutes
- Black Widow - 2 hours, 14 minutes
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier - 2 hours, 16 minutes
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 - 2 hours, 16 minutes
- Avengers: Age of Ultron - 2 hours, 21 minutes
- The Avengers - 2 hours, 23 minutes
- Captain America: Civil War - 2 hours, 27 minutes
- Spider-Man: No Way Home - 2 hours, 28 minutes
- Avengers: Infinity War - 2 hours, 29 minutes
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 - 2 hours, 29 minutes
- Eternals - 2 hours, 36 minutes
- Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - 2 hours, 41 minutes
- Avengers: Endgame - 3 hours, 1 minute
What The Marvels' Runtime Means
The Marvels' record-breaking length isn't just surprising but concerning.
Some of the most successful MCU films have been the franchise's longest, not the shortest. And, unlike the original Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel 2 is an ensemble featuring three heroes as opposed to one.
It's also worth noting that fan confidence in Marvel Studios and its Phase 5 slate has considerably cooled in light of recent disappointments and studio restructuring.
Still, neither recent events nor the film's surprising brevity confirm that The Marvels will be a disappointing film.
Yes, the film has three leads; but MCU fans already know these compelling characters and their stories, allowing The Marvels to hit the ground running and whisk audiences along for the ride.
The shorter length might also mean a more concentrated, character-driven plot instead of Marvel Studios' penchant for subplots and set-ups.
Regardless, how Captain Marvel 2's record runtime plays with audiences - and how it stacks up against prior MCU films - will be fascinating to see.
The Marvels arrives in theaters on Friday, November 10.
