The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 runtime may have been revealed. The trilogy-ending threequel will wrap up the main Guardians of the Galaxy team's story in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film is under special scrutiny in the wake of poor reception to recent MCU films, including Phase 5 launcher Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, as well as director James Gunn's recent promotion to the co-head of DC Studios. In the midst of various behind-the-scenes shakeups, the road to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is just beginning as audiences get an indication of its lengthy runtime.Now, a new listing on Atom Tickets suggests the upcoming film will be 2 hours and 29 minutes long, backing up recent indications it would be the longest Guardians of the Galaxy movie yet. If the new listing is accurate, Guardians of the Galaxy 3 would be 27 minutes longer than the original film and 12 minutes longer than the 2017 sequel. The upcoming movie would then be tied with Avengers: Infinity War for the fourth-longest MCU movies of all time, behind only Eternals, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and Avengers: Endgame.

UPDATE: 2023/03/27 11:53 EST BY MOLLY FREEMAN

James Gunn Responds To Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Runtime Listing

On Twitter, James Gunn responded to a fan asking whether the third Guardians of the Galaxy movie is 2 hours and 29 minutes long, saying, "It’s around that long, although that’s not yet exact." See his tweet below.

Why GOTG 3's Long Runtime Is A Great Sign (If It's Real)

The central members of the team for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

If accurate, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3's nearly two-and-a-half-hour runtime is a very good sign of the film's quality. It's no secret Marvel's Multiverse Saga has not been met with the same critical acclaim as the Infinity Saga, with various explanations offered as to the franchise's apparent dip in quality. One persistent complaint has been that the more important MCU films, including the poorly reviewed Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, have felt rushed, as if they were forced to cut down in service of a shorter runtime. Guardians of the Galaxy 3, however, seems to have been given all the space it needs.

Certain recent films in the MCU have steered closer to the two-hour mark, potentially leaving important scenes on the cutting room floor. Thor: Love and Thunder, which also included the Guardians, comes in at just under two hours, and was widely criticized for a number of reasons, including underserving its characters and story. After the film's streaming release, however, it became clear just how many deleted scenes Love and Thunder had. While there can be many reasons for certain scenes to be cut, it is difficult to deny that Love and Thunder was missing crucial elements that may have been present in a longer movie.

The upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy 3 needs to provide a perfect end for its large cast of characters, many of whom may not return in future Marvel projects. With what is reportedly one of the longest runtimes in the MCU, the sequel appears to be long enough to accommodate each character's story in a meaningful way. If Marvel Studios has truly given Gunn all the time needed to craft an emotionally resonant and impactful film, then Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is sure to be every bit the hit that its two predecessors were.

Source: Atom Tickets

Update source: James Gunn/Twitter

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