The art of film viewing has been subtly evolving over time, and runtime is one of the most evident changes. A lot of audiences believe that movies are getting longer than before and the intuition has been supported by factual trends. Whether blockbuster spectacles or prestige dramas, contemporary movies are spending more time narrating their stories, and this is changing the way viewers watch films today.
Deeper Films

Film audiences are now demanding deeper, bigger and more detailed films than they were in the past decades, which tends to increase the length of the movie. Filmmakers are in reaction to these expectations by broadening the characterizations and plots of films to achieve the same without hurrying valuable moments.
Streaming Influence

The emergence of streaming services has changed the consumption of stories in that the viewer is now comfortable with longer-form storytelling. The change has prompted directors to use longer runtimes because people are now willing to tolerate protracted stories.
Bigger Stories

Contemporary movies tend to have complicated storylines, multi-dimensional worlds, and multiple points of view to the characters that take more time to develop. The shorter runtimes may be a constraint to creators who want to convey a full vision in a storytelling that has become more ambitious.
Franchise Growth

Big franchises conquer the box office, and such movies have a tendency of increasing in length with each new installment as the worlds become bigger. Extended screen time is caused by returning characters, fleshed-out backstories, and fan expectations.
Director Freedom

A lot of filmmakers have been allowed more creative freedom nowadays, particularly those who have had previous success or are well known. This freedom has led to lengthier films, since the pressure on directors to trim their production to meet old-fashioned time constraints is reduced.
Audience Immersion

The longer films have an ability to offer a more infused experience, where viewers can relax into the world of the story. Such increased involvement is regarded as an advantage, especially to such a genre as fantasy, historical drama, and science fiction.
Theatrical Trends

Cinema is also moving more toward films that are more of an event and can warrant a higher ticket price because of their lengthy run time and epic storytelling. Such protracted experiences are sold as being of greater value and worth the time and money spent.
Editing Evolution

The technology in filmmaking has facilitated the taking and editing of holograms of large volumes of footage, providing the editors with more to work with. Many productions are preserving more scenes, and the length of the film is increasing, instead of cutting aggressively.