20240106 netfilx

The movie industry is making longer films, defying a consumer trend that values entertainment based on its "time performance."

Movie durations rise with streaming but clash with consumer trend

As speed watching takes hold, 1 in 4 big box office hits exceeds 2-1/2 hours

TOKYO -- Around the world, movies are getting longer, with a quarter of the top 30 box office films of 2023 surpassing two and a half hours, according to the U.S. website Box Office Mojo, and flying in the face of a consumer trend of efficiently parceling out one's free time.

The average movie runtime in 2023 was 132 minutes, up 13 minutes from a decade earlier. For years, movie studios had kept runtimes around two hours so theaters could pack as many screenings into a day as possible. However, this approach is shifting with the rise of online streaming for new releases.

Sponsored Content

About Sponsored ContentThis content was commissioned by Nikkei's Global Business Bureau.