Justice League JL Runtime Thread. Yay? Or Nay?

[ZackBop]

Again people bringing up movies like The Magnificent Seven are forgetting that those are very different types of films with very different contexts.

And as for "well we can introduce them via Diana and Bruce going through their files" that was one of the most mocked and derided parts of BVS, and rightly so imo. And they really to try and do that kind of laziness again do they?

Totally different situations. BvS featured an out-of-place scene of Diana watching a few short "trailers" for Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg that didn't really impact BvS's primary story. JL will actually feature their true introductions. Showing Bruce and Diana review "Arthur Curry -- the Aquaman" and the kid with "organic and biomechatronic body parts -- a Cyborg," and then actually GO OUT to recruit them is totally different.

 

[Greens]

The runtime shouldn't be a problem. It could be, but there's no indication that it is.

 

[ZackBop]

Can people stop acting like JL has a different set of rules from other ensemble films?

"GOTG scenario doesn't work because no one knew who they were"

"X-Men scenario doesn't work because they're already a team"

"Mag. 7 scenario doesn't work because of the context"

Mbj summed it up perfectly. Give us a reasonable motivation for each character and touch on a little backstory. We don't need to see Barry's mother dying, Black Manta fighting Arthur, Darkseid doing whatever on Apokolips etc. Just whatever that's related to the plot.

All we need for each character (IMO):

Flash > Struck by lightning and became a hero because he wants to find his mother's true killer (so he can free his dad from prison). Can be covered in a few minutes of screentime.

Aquaman > Half-Atlantean dude with natural powers and he's the heir to the throne of Atlantis. Can be covered in a few seconds of screentime (especially since the Atlantean race will be introduced via the History Lesson).

Cyborg > Suffered a bad accident and was saved by his father (who he has some issues with). We actually saw his creation in BvS, so we only need a few seconds here.

All in all, I think everything we NEED to know about them can be covered in no more than 5 minutes. As for their development, you just do that through their interactions with the other team members.

 

[Bats123]

Im fine with 2 hours as long as it doesnt feel rushed.

 

[kguillou]

You guys arent wrong. I guess i was also hoping to spend a little time in each character's world as well. Not saying I wanted a half hour for each location but. You know, maybe like 10 mins in Central City. 10-15 in Atlantis etc etc. You know, get a feel for each character's world and supporting cast before the solos. Kinda like how they did it in The Defenders.

 

[BH/HHH]

Im fine with 2 hours as long as it doesnt feel rushed.

That’s the important thing. 2 hours is enough time it’s just whether they’ve used the two hours wisely. Unlike others though I’m gonna wait and see instead of panicking about it.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

We have an official run-time

https://***********/EmpireCinemas/status/922513823587762177

Empire Cinemas
@EmpireCinemas

JUSTICE LEAGUE
We can officially announce the running time is confirmed as 01:59:53!
#LoseYourselfInFilm @EmpireCinemas @justiceleagueuk

The movie was always meant to be shorter

https://***********/cbumbray/status/922149766137511936

Chris Bumbray
@cbumbray

Anyways- I visited the set of this one. Was always meant to be significantly shorter than BvS and that comes direct from Snyder. He told us

Jeremy Irons himself said that JL is a linear movie with a smaller script during /before JL's production. So JL will be presented pretty much the way it was always meant to be from the very beginning. Terrio and Zack planned a relatively shorter movie and that's what we are getting.

 

[BH/HHH]

We have an official run-time

https://***********/EmpireCinemas/status/922513823587762177



The movie was always meant to be shorter

https://***********/cbumbray/status/922149766137511936



Jeremy Irons himself said that JL is a linear movie with a smaller script during /before JL's production. So JL will be presented pretty much the way it was always meant to be from the very beginning.

Very interesting, thanks for posting

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Regarding the run-time, I'm disappointed but excited at the same time. Disappointed because if I were given 2 options on whether to have a good JL movie with a shorter run-time or a good JL movie with a longer run-time, I would have chosen the latter. Plus I wanna see more of my Batman and his super-friends. So I'm bummed from that POV.

Yet I'm excited because two of my favorite action movies (Mad Max Fury Road & Kong: Skull Island) are almost exactly in the same territory in terms of run-time. Both moved at a brisk pace, they were exhilarating to watch and they were also they were tons of fun. I hope JL continues that trend.

 

[BH/HHH]

Regarding the run-time, I'm disappointed but excited at the same time. Disappointed because if I were given 2 options on whether to have a good JL movie with a shorter run-time or a good JL movie with a longer run-time, I would have chosen the latter. Plus I wanna see more of my Batman and his super-friends. So I'm bummed from that POV.

Yet I'm excited because two of my favorite action movies (Mad Max Fury Road & Kong: Skull Island) are almost exactly in the same territory in terms of run-time. Both moved at a brisk pace, they were exhilarating to watch and they were also they were tons of fun. I hope JL continues that trend.

Kong: Skull Island felt fine in length too, didn't feel like they trimmed anything.

 

[Jekecy]

Well like I’ve said before if this was a 2hr movie from the onset then it’s absolutely possible to make a streamlined team movie from that.

But now I’ll have to adjust expectation on team dynamic because no way in hell they can develop all of them in that timeframe.

Whereas before I expected relatively equal screen time between all the Leaguers, now I’m going in expecting something akin to the earlier X-Men films where Logan is the star. Our equivalents will be Diana and Bruce.

 

[Legendver2]

Well like I’ve said before if this was a 2hr movie from the onset then it’s absolutely possible to make a streamlined team movie from that.

But now I’ll have to adjust expectation on team dynamic because no way in hell they can develop all of them in that timeframe.

Whereas before I expected relatively equal screen time between all the Leaguers, now I’m going in expecting something akin to the earlier X-Men films where Logan is the star. Our equivalents will be Diana and Bruce.

Well we don't really need to spend much time on the backstory of Bats or WW, seeing as one had a solo, and the other was in the direct prequel.

 

[Longshot777]

Im fine with 2 hours as long as it doesnt feel rushed.

And if it doesn't drag either.

I remember that Max Steel movie was around 1 hour and 45 minutes and it felt like an eternity of bad movie making.

No offense to people here who loves that Max Steel movie and sees it as a masterpiece waiting for the studio to make a sequel.

 

[BigThor]

Yay for me

 

[heatvision38]

I guess we all just naturally assumed that this being a movie with all big these heroes coming together coupled with being part 3 of a trilogy that there would be a beefy runtime, is all. I'm sure thats what most people assumed/expected.

I could guarantee you that if Infinity War was announced to be an 1hr 50 mins, there'd be the same amount of confusion and anxiety from MCU fans.

Exactly.

 

[BigThor]

Exactly.

Naw there would be MUCH more anxiety.

 

[heatvision38]

Kong: Skull Island felt fine in length too, didn't feel like they trimmed anything.

That movie felt small (no pun intended) to me. The characters mostly felt flat and one dimensional and it felt more like it was there to set up King Kong for the King Kong/Godzilla movie.

 

[Jekecy]

Well we don't really need to spend much time on the backstory of Bats or WW, seeing as one had a solo, and the other was in the direct prequel.

Not necessarily backstory, just that will be where the film naturally gravitates its time to. In terms of screentime, I'm expecting:

Bruce/Diana
|
|
|
Aquaman
|
|
Flash
Cyborg
|
Supes

 

[jmc]

So it's confirmed, we're looking at around 1 hour 50 mins of actual movie.

 

[Gu3ree]

It occurred to me that the animated series of Justice League, the first three episodes combined, is only about an hour. 22 minutes each episode.

It amazes me how much they were able to develop in just one hour, and it felt like a full length film, or maybe it felt that long at the time I watched it.

I don't know if that can make us rest assured that we'll have an extra hour as opposed to the one hour JL animated series pilot. Most notable difference obviously was that Superman was not dead in the beginning of the JL animated series.

 

[BigThor]

Not necessarily backstory, just that will be where the film naturally gravitates its time to. In terms of screentime, I'm expecting:

Bruce/Diana
|
|
|
Aquaman
|
|
Flash
Cyborg
|
Supes

Definitely not, head over to the spoilers thread to see who get's the most screentime.

Hint: One of the characters you have at the bottom is actually at the top.

So it's confirmed, we're looking at around 1 hour 50 mins of actual movie.

Yes indeed and it's good seeing you around jmc.

 

[Gu3ree]

Goshdarnit, what is it? 2 hrs and 1 minute, or 1 hr and 59 minutes? Oh, lol, the US screening gets an extended 2-minute cut!

 

[Da-Scribe]

That movie felt small (no pun intended) to me. The characters mostly felt flat and one dimensional and it felt more like it was there to set up King Kong for the King Kong/Godzilla movie.

This does not quite compute for me. Isn't that a large purpose of any introductory film within a franchise?

 

[MydnightPhoenix]

That's probably a part of it.

Or, maybe Whedon and the producers felt that's all the footage that was worthy of release for the theatrical version.

But why if it isn't worthy for a theatrical release do they decide to make a different movie after the movie release? I think there should be deleted scenes but not 2 or more versions of the same movie. Does WB just do this to make twice the money?

 

[kguillou]

Well, to be FAIR, its not like WB has been releasing the TC on video first and then releasing the extended versions later so people double dip, like they did with Xmen DOFP. They release the extended and TC versions at the same time. So, imo, it's really not hurting anyone, its just a nice extra bonus/incentive for people to buy the home video release. Plus, a lot of studios are seeming to do this these days. I think Fate of the Furious came out with an extended edition with almost 15 mins of additional footage. I just see it as a cool bonus of getting more of what you like.