Entertainment

This New 'Force Awakens' Info Is Huge

by Maura O'Malley

While a whole month still stands between me and all of my nerdiest dreams coming true with the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, more details about the finished film have just been released and I am kinda freaking out about it. For those of us wondering how long The Force Awakens is, the runtime for Star Wars' newest film has been announced, and it means big things for fans.

You may think that how long the movie runs is insignificant information, but you would be sadly mistaken. This new piece of info is a big deal for mondo Star Wars fans like myself, like Han Solo shooting first-level. According to EW, J.J. Abrams (the director, co-writer, and Yoda of the new Star Wars universe) locked down the final edit of the film in early November. Work still needs to be completed on the visual effects, the sound, the music — all of those finishing touches that will make the new Star Wars film great. But Houston, it appears we have a complete edit. Yippee!

And having the final edit complete means that we finally have the runtime of the latest Star Wars film. It has long been rumored that the film would be 136 minutes long, and it turns out that the number was pretty darn close, because EW revealed that Force Awakens will be 135 minutes. That means we all have two hours and 15 minutes of new Star Wars to enjoy. Freaking out yet?

This runtime puts the new film in the middle of the franchise in regards to length. The first three film were the shortest, while the later films (Episode I-III) were the longest. Episode II: Attack of the Clones clocked in at 142 minutes (wowza!). The shortest film was Star Wars: A New Hope, at 121 minutes. I'm hoping with the shorter runtime that this new film will be taking after the original films in more ways than one. Mainly, I am hoping I won't have to sit through another 45-minute pod race. Aren't we all?

There is a lot that needs to be explained in this new Star Wars film. Filmmakers need to tell us how Princess Leia became a General, who the frick all these new characters (Ray, Finn, and Poe Dameron) are, and where the Knights of Ren came from, to name a few. That's a lot to cover in just over two hours, but it's looking like the film will be extremely fast paced. Some might even say hyper-drive fast? Man, I can't wait for this movie.

And with the rumored post-credit scene teasing Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, I intend to watch every second of this 135-minute film.

Images: Walt Disney Company; Giphy (2)