Star Wars 9 runtime: Is Episode IX the LONGEST Star Wars movie ever?

Star Wars 9 has a lot of work to do just to reconcile all the outstanding storylines.

That’s not to mention the difficult task of somehow reuniting a fractured fandom, appeasing many classic fans and engaging those who want more changes. 

Yet, seven new characters have been announced so far, as well as reports the movie will include the most new planets ever seen on screen in the five-decade history of the franchise.

The vocal calls for the final movie to be split in two have received strong support but seem extremely unlikely to ever be realised. Just how long will Episode 9 be?

Star Wars 9 will be released in December 2019 as one movie to end them all, but will it rule them all and will it bind them?

The Last Jedi clocked in at 152 minutes, beating the previous record-holder, Attack of the Clones by 10 minutes. Every Star Wars movie has topped two hours but could Episode 9 touch three hours?

The latest reports said: “JJ Abrams and the crew aim to make Episode 9 the longest Star Wars to date, surpassing The Last Jedi.”

But just look how much it needs to fit in. The latest leaks, rumours and confirmed castings below all indicate Abrams faces a mammoth task.

The movie must deliver strong endings to the storylines for Rey, Finn, Poe and Kylo Ren.

Even more importantly, it must resolve the Luke and Leia plotlines complicated by his on-screen death and actress Carrie Fisher’s passing.

As well as the hugely anticipated return of Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian, latest casting confirmations have announced the involvement of Richard E Grant, Kerri Russell, Matt Smith, Naomi Ackie and Dominic Monaghan.

There have also been reports of a young boy cast, who may play Kylo Ren in flashbacks, as well as the tantalising rumours of young daughter for Rey. And that’s not all.

Reports of seven actors who have been in intensive fight training with Adam Driver point towards the appearance, at last, of the Knights of Ren. However, many commentators are already speculating that Russell herself might be playing one of the Knights, or a warrior colleague of Kylo.

If, as promised, Star Wars 9 also visits more new planets than ever seen before, there will be a lot of ground to cover in one movie.

Early leaked images showed Finn, Poe, Chewbacca and Naomi Ackie’s mysterious fighter in a desolate landscape.

Early plot leaks claim that Act One of the movie will concern Leia sending her most trusted people out across the galaxy to rally support and discover evidence of First Order abuses to fire up resistance.

This will be a location-heavy but effective way of cramming a lot of planets and people into the opening scenes.

Other plot leaks revealed a misiion to teh Unknown Regions and a secret First Order planet. This fuelled expectatons there may be flashback or Force vision scenes with Snoke.

There is also the matter of following up the Last Jedi tease of new Force users emerging across the galaxy. This was set up by the Canto Bight stable boy using burgeoning powers to calling his broom to him.

There is a lot of plot and even more legacy to fit into one movie. Will Episode 9 be the first Star Wars film ever to touch thre ehours.

Bearing in mind Disney’s awareness that longer movies mean less screenings per day plus the concern that younger fans and families will not sit through a three-hour film, it is looking most likely it will come in at around two hours forty.

Most fans will agree they don’t care how long it is as long as it gets the job done.