Black Panther Official Runtime Confirmed At 134 Minutes

The official runtime for Black Panther has been revealed, and it will be the longest MCU solo debut so far. While every Marvel film in the past few years has been something of a cultural touchstone, Black Panther is proving to be a juggernaut even before its release. Early buzz has been extraordinarily positive while projections suggest Black Panther will earn $400 million domestically by the end of its run. Meanwhile, both traditional and social media have been flooded with stories related to the film as those typically uninterested in superhero fare gear up for the unique offering.

Highlighting the cultural impact of the film, a reaction video of kids learning they’re seeing Black Panther went viral recently and proved just how intergenerational the appeal is. For many moviegoers, seeing not only a black superhero but one leading a film is something rare. And that’s not even mentioning the mostly black cast and African setting. Add in the fact that T’Challa isn’t an ordinary hero but rather the king of a fantastical nation, and it’s not surprising why so many people are excited to see if Black Panther can innovate on the already winning comic book film formula.

RELATED: Black Panther Director Says the Film Explores What it Means to Be African

The British Board of Film Classification has listed the official runtime for Black Panther, confirming eager audiences will get 134 minutes to enjoy the movie. We’d previously heard rumors of a Black Panther runtime in this ballpark, but it’s still a little surprising to learn this will be the MCU’s sixth longest film. Until Avengers: Infinity War arrives (which is sure to have a staggering length), only the previous two Avengers films, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Civil War, and last year’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 will be longer than Black Panther.

On top of being the sixth longest film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Black Panther will also be the lengthiest solo debut film from the studio. Last year’s Spider-Man: Homecoming came in just one minute shy, and every other initial outing is considerably shorter. In fact, only the last two Captain America movies beat Black Panther in the solo category, with The Winter Soldier just two minutes longer and Civil War a team-up in all but name.

With what we know about the film, it makes sense for Black Panther to be especially long. While much of the movie will take place in Wakanda, T’Challa, Nakia, and others will do some globetrotting as well. Even inside the reclusive kingdom, this will be the first time outside of Asgard that we explore what’s essentially a whole new world in the course of one film. Keeping all of that in mind, and judging from the scope of latest Black Panther TV spot, it’s easy to see why the movie needed the added time to properly tell its story. And considering the early reactions from those who have seen the film, audiences will be eager to spend as much time with Black Panther as possible.

MORE: Black Panther Producer Reveals Why Wakanda Stayed Hidden

Source: British Board of Film Classification