The ideal length for a movie for American viewers is just under an hour and a half, according to a recent survey. Research conducted by Talker Research with 2,000 participants indicates a preference for shorter cinematic experiences, with the average ideal runtime settling at 88 minutes.
Only 10 percent of respondents favored movies running two hours or longer, and a mere 3 percent believe films should exceed two and a half hours. This indicates a general desire to spend less time in theaters.
The survey also highlighted a generational divide in moviegoing patience. Boomers, on average, prefer films around 93 minutes. Gen X viewers lean towards 89 minutes, while Millennials average 86 minutes. Gen Z showed the shortest attention span, with an average ideal movie length of 82 minutes.
This preference for brevity is contrasted by the runtime of some recent and upcoming major releases. For example, "Minions & Monsters" clocks in at 90 minutes, and "Jackass: Best and Last" is 92 minutes, both close to the ideal. However, "Toy Story 5" runs 102 minutes, significantly longer than the original "Toy Story," which was 81 minutes.
Major blockbusters continue to push longer runtimes. Steven Spielberg's "Disclosure Day" is 145 minutes, and "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" is 150 minutes, both nearly an hour longer than the preferred average. Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" is the longest of the examples, at 172 minutes, almost double the ideal 88-minute mark.
Films cited as examples of ideal runtimes include "The Lion King" (1994), "Zombieland" (2009), "The Producers" (1967), and "Airplane!" (1980).
The Talker Research survey was conducted online between June 11–17, 2026, among 2,000 U.S. adults with internet access.