Marvel obsessives have been waiting for what seems like ages for Avengers: Infinity War and its still-to-be christened follow-up to hit theaters and (likely) tear our hearts apart in the process. If it’s any consolation to antsy fans, it sounds like we’ll be spending a lot of time with this Marvel All-Star Game when it does arrive at the local multiplex.
Directors Joe and Anthony Russo sat down with Collider as part of the press blitz ahead of the film’s premiere. Among the nuggets extracted from their chat is the likelihood of a big fat running time for the de facto Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase Three finale. The filmmakers expressed concern about putting too much of an emphasis on it, but Anthony and Joe admitted that Avengers 4 is the longest rough cut they’ve done. Faced with the question if Avengers 4 will be longer than the 149-minute Infinity War running time, the forecast says yes.
“Do you think the Part 2 will be longer than that?” asks Steve “Frosty” Weintraub of his interview subjects.
“I do,” concedes Joe Russo.
Pressed on if the blockbuster’s running time could hit the three-hour mark, things get a bit hazier.
“I’ll say it could easily be a three hour film, but I think we’re pretty hard on the material,” notes Joe. “We like it to play at a certain pace. I’m sure we’ll squeeze it.”
Anthony is a touch more conservative with the subject.
“We have a whole year left of work on that movie,” explains Anthony.
Speaking of that year of work left, the Russos wouldn’t confirm Avengers 4 would go by the title Avengers: Infinity Gauntlet. That’s alright. The bulk of important Marvel questions will be answered or twisted into new questions when Avengers: Infinity War arrives on April 27.
(Via Collider)