It runtime listed at over two hours long

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Most horror movies clock-in at around the hour-and-a-half mark, sometimes pushing it over 100 minutes. People can only be terrified in a dark room for so long before they go into shock. But IT is no ordinary horror movie, and if the newly listed runtime is legit it could mean audiences will have to buckle in for well over two hours of clown-fueled terror. Sounds like my usual Sunday evening.

According to the British Board of Film Classification, the upcoming Stephen King adaptation from Andy Muschietti is topping out at around 135 minutes – which is about two hours and 15 minutes for anyone who doesn’t want to do the math. This may seem long for a horror movie about a bunch of kids trying to escape the clutches of an evil Ronald McDonald, but when taking a look at the book the runtime makes sense. The book from King is well over 1,000 pages, with a good half of it centered on The Loser’s Club, and the other half focusing on them as adults.

If the runtime is indeed that long this will give the movie plenty of time to explore all the young characters and set the stage for the inevitable sequel that will focus on their adult lives. From a storytelling perspective, this is a smart move, but it also means fans of horror can be certain they will get their fill of nightmare scenarios. If all goes to plan the movie will be an endurance test for audiences, and anyone who makes it to the end is given a chest filled with fine gold and silvers.

IT arrives September 8.