While experimental films can last for days, the record for the longest major Hollywood studio film ever released in theaters is often attributed to the 1963 epic 'Cleopatra.' The original director's cut ran for six hours, but it was eventually trimmed to 248 minutes (over 4 hours) for its premiere. The production was so troubled and expensive that it nearly bankrupted 20th Century Fox. Another contender for length is 'Gone with the Wind' (221 minutes). However, in the modern era, 'Zack Snyder's Justice League' (2021) technically clocks in at 242 minutes, though it was released directly to streaming. The most extreme example of length in a wide-release Hollywood blockbuster remains 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' (Extended Edition), which reaches 263 minutes, though its theatrical version was a 'shorter' 201 minutes.