The cinema release of Captain America 4titled Brave New Worldis fast approaching. So much so that its duration is now known, and it is… surprising.
Captain America : Brave New Worlddirected by Julius Onah, arrives in theaters on February 12. The film marks the end of the Chris Evans era in the superhero costume, since it is now Anthony Mackie, in the role of Sam Wilson, who inherits the prestigious title. At his side, Harrison Ford, Danny Ramirez (seen in Top Gun : Maverick), Shira Haas (Iris Maplewood in the series Bodies), Giancarlo Esposito and Liv Tyler (among others) complete the cast.
But this slew of new faces is not the only innovation of the fourth part of the adventures from the shield to the star. Indeed, the length of the film has just been revealed, and it takes MCU tradition on its head. There is no doubt that some will be disappointed, and that others will be very happy.
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The supposedly increasing length of films is one of the recurring debates in the cinephile spherewho pulls his hair out or delights in sometimes having to sit for several hours watching certain films. (Very) long films have always existed : we remember the good 3 hours of Children of Paradise by Marcel Carné, from the almost 7 hours of Satin Shoe by Manoel de Oliveira or the 8 hours of War and Peace by Sergei Bondarchuk. An ambition perpetuated, in its style, by the saga of Lord of the Rings de Peter Jackson.
But in recent years, the fever for long films has not only contaminated Christopher Nolan with Oppenheimer or Martin Scorcese with Killers of the Flower Moon. It has also extended to superheroic blockbusters, especially since the Justice League by Zack Snyder proved that fans of tights-wearing vigilantes were capable of be passionate about a story for more than 4 hours. But if the trend, also valid on the Marvel side, is towards stretching, things could change with Captain America : Brave New Worldbecause this new film will last “only” 1h58.
A duration which does not nothing hungry in itself (because yes, there are still films today that last 1h30), but which is all the same on the scale of the MCU, and especially of the franchise Captain Americadont the films have become longer with each new opus. In 2011, Captain America: First Avenger took place in 2h04, while in 2014, Captain America: The Winter Soldier lasted 2h15. Finally, in 2016, Captain America: Civil War had gone up to a duration of 2h27.
This detail could seem completely anecdotal, beyond the potential frustration of some fans who like to take in the sights for long hours to the detriment of effective storytelling. But within such productions, such a duration can also reveal shyness to invest in a new directionand prevent all the characters involved from being treated with dignity.
Among the most recent short films adapted from the Marvel universe, we particularly remember the catastrophic 1h56 of the oven Madame Weband much less catastrophic, but just as poorly received 1h45 of The Marvels. That said, a long duration made in MCU absolutely does not guarantee quality, as the public will have been able to see when watching the 2h06 of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
So, does this new information say anything about the quality of the future Captain America ? No one can say for sure, but we at least know that we will have time to do something else with our day after the screening when the film comes out on our screens, i.e. February 12.
