Despite Reports, A24s Civil War Is Not Over 3 Hours Long

Publish date: 2024-08-13

You won’t have to battle your bladder to watch A24’s upcoming action epic “Civil War.”

The Alex Garland movie, set in the near future as the United States breaks out into violent conflict, has a runtime of 109 minutes, despite reports to the contrary. While IMDb incorrectly lists a runtime of 3 hours and 15 minutes, A24 confirmed to Variety that the film is under two hours long.

Starring Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Sonoya Mizuno, Jesse Plemons and Nick Offerman, the movie puts viewers in the heat of a new American civil war. The trailer opens with scenes of destruction across the country, along with news reports that “19 states have seceded.”

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“Citizens of America, the so-called Western forces of Texas and California have suffered a very great defeat at the hands of the United States military,” Offerman, who portrays the U.S. President, says in the trailer. Dunst plays a photographer in a world where government air strikes are used against civilians and journalists are shot on sight in the Capitol.

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“Civil War” is directed and written by Garland, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker behind “Ex Machina,” “Annihilation” and, most recently, “Men.” Garland also created the 2020 FX series “Devs” starring Offerman.

A24 produces alongside Gregory Goodman and DNA’s Andrew Macdonald and Allon Reich. Goodman’s past producing credits include “Three Kings,” “8 Mile,” “Captain Phillips” and “22 July.”

Long runtimes have become a hot button issue with moviegoers as of late, with varying box office results. Mega-blockbuster hits like “Oppenheimer” and “Avatar: The Way of Water” exceeded three hours in length, while Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” clocked in at 3 hours and 26 minutes. At 3 hours and 9 minutes, Damien Chazelle’s “Babylon” bombed at the box office despite stars including Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt, and Ari Aster’s latest A24 nightmare “Beau Is Afraid” flopped with 2 hours and 59 minutes.

By keeping “Civil War” at a lean 1 hour and 49 minutes, Garland may recruit more soldiers at the cinema.

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