This March, viewers will get to enjoy Gotham City a little longer than usual.Deadlinerevealed today thatThe Batman, Matt Reeves’ gritty take on the Dark Knight, will clock in at 167 minutes. That’s the longest Batman film yet, with Christopher Nolan’sThe Dark Knight Risesthe previous record holder at 165 minutes.
Starring Robert Pattinson as the titular hero,The Batmanwill need every minute it can get as it serves as a new beginning for the DC hero after years of false starts and relatively unimpressive DC Extended Universe appearances. Set shortly after the Caped Crusader has established his unique brand of vigilante justice, the film chronicles Bruce Wayne’s initial encounters with the mysterious Catwoman (Zoë Kravitz), Colin Farrell’s Bugsy Siegel-like mobsterthe Penguin, and Paul Dano’s the Riddler, who is revamped to look and act more like the Zodiac killer than the traditionally comical villain that Jim Carrey immortalized inBatman Forever. Joining Batman in his quest to eradicate crime is Jeffrey Wright’s beleaguered James Gordon and Andy Serkis as Bruce Wayne’s faithful (and inthe film’s trailer, increasingly horrified) butler, Alfred Pennyworth.
With three confirmed villains, a new continuity, and a large cast, it’s understandable that Reeves would need nearly three hours to tell his tale and reboot a valuable brand for both WB and future owner Discovery. In comparison, Tim Burton’s firstBatmanfilm in 1989 was a slim 126 minutes, while Joel Schumacher needed only 120 minutes to establish his campy spin on the DC hero in 1995’sBatman Forever. At 140 minutes, Christopher Nolan required more time than his predecessors to redefine the Dark Knight inBatman Beginsas he featured two villains (Ra’s al Ghul and the Scarecrow) and a relatively complex origin story. As a sequel toMan of Steel, a team-up between two iconic DC heroes, and a prequel toJustice League, Zach Snyder’sBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justicein 2016 crammed a lot of exposition (and large amounts of unconvincing CGI) into its 152 minutes in an ultimately futile attempt to launch the DC Extended Universe.
WhileThe Batmanis the longest Batman film to date, it’s not the longest superhero movie ever. That honor goes toZach Snyder’s Justice League, the extended cut of the heavily reshot 2017 original. At 242 minutes, the film will most likely keep that distinction until the inevitable (and still imaginary)Avengers vs. Justice Leaguemovie in 2045.
The Batmanis scheduled to premiere in theatres on July 27, 2025. After its 45-day exclusive theatrical run, the film will debut on HBO Max on April 19.
