Is There an Intermission for Killers of the Flower Moon?

Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon comes out in theaters on October 20. A lot has already been said about the film, from its important story to the fact it’s surely going to be nominated for numerous Academy Awards. But arguably, the biggest talking point of the movie comes down to its massive runtime. After giving people the three-hour epic of The Irishman, Scorsese’s followed it up with a film that clocks in at 3 hours and 26 minutes. That’s a long time, and it may make some people think twice about buying a large soda.

There Is No Intermission for Killers of the Flower Moon

If you plan on seeing Killers of the Flower Moon in theaters, you better have a strong bladder. Theaters are not offering an intermission for this film, which has become par the course lately. Numerous films lately have surpassed three hours, including Avengers: Endgame and Avatar: The Way of Water. And anyone seeing those movies in theaters has to sit there the entire time if they don’t want to miss a single second.

Intermissions used to be commonplace in movie theaters in the United States. They served a practical purpose because they allowed the projectionist to swap out a new reel of film without making the audience sit there in silence and darkness. Over the past few decades, they’ve gradually been phased out, and now, it’s hard to find them anymore. The death of the intermission allows theaters to pack in more screenings a day, but it also means viewers have to choose between missing a potentially valuable part of the film or sitting there with their legs crossed uncomfortably.

The good news about Killers of the Flower Moon is that it’s an Apple TV+ original, so it should become available on the streaming platform in the near future. While it’ll surely be a transcendental experience watching the film on IMAX, there’s also something to be said about being able to pause when you want, so you can use the restroom and grab a snack when you need it.