Several weeks ago word reached audiences that director J.J. Abrams concluding film to the nine movie Skywalker saga would clock in it at a whopping two hours and thirty-five minutes. This would make STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER the longest STAR WARS film in history, eclipsing THE LAST JEDI by three minutes. However, as is often the case with Hollywood, studios tinker with an upcoming movie even a few weeks prior to its release. That seems to be the case with THE RISE OF SKYWALKER. Abrams just revealed that THE RISE OF SKYWALKER will be fifteen minutes shorter than previously reported.
STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER's new official runtime is two hours and twenty-one minutes, give or take a minute. Although this shorter runtime may be disconcerting for fans of the galaxy far, far away, J.J. Abrams was quick to assure the populace stating, “This happened last time as well. You see something and you think that could be a little clearer, a little better and if you have the ability to fix the piece, you take advantage of that.” The "last time" Abrams refers to is obviously THE FORCE AWAKENS and that turned out to be two hours and fifteen minutes of pure joy. Hey we are getting an extra six minutes! Be grateful people!
Honestly though I couldn't care less about the runtime. People put too much stock in it. Hell Martin Scorsese's latest THE IRISHMAN is three and a half hours long and multiple critics said they would have been happy to watch another hour, it's that good. As long as the film is good runtime shouldn't matter. I've seen plenty of three hour epics that went by in five minutes and some eighty minute movies that took three weeks. It's all about quality in the end.
STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER starring Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac and Adam Driver hits theaters December 20.