What is the Longest Movie Ever Made for Mainstream Media?

While most films range between an hour and a half to two hours long, some films easily go over three hours in runtime. Of course, there are record-breaking films that span hundreds of hours, but these are not usually featured on the big screen. These ten longer movies have been blockbuster hits and don’t need more than six hours to watch. Learn which film is the longest movie ever made, along with nine other lengthy films.

10. Spartacus (1960) – 3 Hours, 17 Minutes

Starting our list for the longest movie ever made is Spartacus. Rebellious slave Thracian Spartacus is sold to Gladiator trainer Batiatus. As he trains to perform in the arena, Spartacus turns on his owners and leads the other slaves in revolt. The group of rebels travels from town to town, adding more slaves to their numbers, all searching for a way back home.

9. The Godfather Part II (1974) – 3 Hours, 20 Minutes

Ninth on our longest movie ever made list is The Godfather Part II, part of the renowned The Godfather series. The second film tells the story of young Vito Corleone as he grows up in Sicily and 1910s New York. In addition, viewers follow the path of Michael Corleone in the 1950s as he tries to expand the business into cities like Las Vegas, Hollywood, and even Cuba.

8. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) – 3 Hours, 21 Minutes

Next up on our longest movie ever made list is J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. The final movie in the famed trilogy features the final confrontation between good and evil. Frodo and Sam have reached Mordor to destroy the One Ring, while Aragorn leads the forces of good against Sauron’s evil army with the future of Middle-earth at stake.

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7. Seven Samurai (1954) – 3 Hours, 27 Minutes

The seventh-longest movie ever made is Seven Samurai, premiering in 1954. A veteran samurai has answered the call of a small village that needs protection from bandits. Hoping to redeem himself, the samurai joins six others who teach the townspeople how to fight. All their work will be tested when 40 bandits attack the village, with townspeople and samurai fighting side by side.

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6. Ben-Hur (1959) – 3 Hours, 32 Minutes

Coming in sixth for the longest movie ever made list is Ben-Hur. Ben-Hur is a rich Jewish prince and merchant in Jerusalem during the start of the 1st century. He reconnects with his friend and new governor, Messala, until their political views drive a wall between them. Things only get worse when Ben-Hur is blamed for a roof falling on Messala’s head and is sent to the galleys.

5. Lawrence of Arabia (1962) – 3 Hours, 36 Minutes

The fifth-longest movie ever made on our list is Lawrence of Arabia. British Lieutenant T.E. Lawrence is sent to Arabia with two goals: to find Prince Faisal and serve as a liaison between Arabs and the British. Using his knowledge of the native Bedouin tribes, Lawrence goes with native Serif Ali on a camel journey to attack a well-guarded Turkish port, forgoing his rescue of the prince.

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4. Once Upon a Time in America (1984) – 3 Hours, 49 Minutes

Next on our longest movie ever made list is Once Upon a Time in America. Set in 1968, elderly David Aaronson is returning to New York, where he lived a life in the criminal underground in the 20s and 30s. While most of his friends are now long gone, viewers get flashbacks of Aaronson when he was younger and grew into a Mafia boss.

3. Gone With the Wind (1939) – 3 Hours, 58 Minutes

Rounding out the top three longest movies ever made is Gone With the Wind. Though it has been critically reviewed due to racial prejudice in recent years, the film does provide a glimpse into the South during the Civil War. The focus stays on Southern belle Scarlett O’Hara as she navigates the war-torn South and her tangled love affairs with Ashley Wilkes and Rhett Butler.

2. Hamlet (1996) – 4 Hours, 2 Minutes

Coming in second for the longest movie ever made is Hamlet. Based on Shakespeare’s famous play, the cast is transported to the 19th century. Prince Hamlet learns his father was murdered by the present King Claudius and wants revenge. While he weaves his plot, Hamlet mistakenly kills Polonius, the father of his lover Ophelia, sending him down a path that ends in tragedy.

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1. 1900 (1976) – 5 Hours, 17 Minutes

Last but not least, the longest movie ever made is 1900, premiering in 1976 and running for over five hours. Set in Italy, the film follows the lives and interactions between two boys as they grow into competitive men. While one is born a bastard to peasants, the other is born to a landowner. As they become adults, the focus turns to the rise of Fascism and Communism and how it defines their lives.

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