How long is The Color Purple movie?

❘ Published: 2023-12-27T11:45:15

Warner Bros.

The 2023 adaptation of The Color Purple is finally on screens – but how long is it? Here’s everything you need to know.

Teaming together Oprah Winfrey, Quincy Jones, Steven Speilberg, and Scott Sanders, The Color Purple has been realized for the screen as an out-and-out musical.

Starring the likes of Taraji P. Henson, Colman Domingo, and Halle Bailey, the story follows Celie, who faces many hardships in life, including an abusive husband. With support from a sultry singer named Shug Avery, as well as her stand-her-ground stepdaughter, Celie ultimately finds extraordinary strength in the unbreakable bonds of a new kind of sisterhood.

With the movie releasing in U.S. theaters on December 25, 2023, how long is The Color Purple? Here’s what you need to know.

The Color Purple (2023) runtime

The 2023 adaptation of The Color Purple has a runtime of 2 hours and 21 minutes.

This is shorter than the original 1985 movie directed by Steven Spielberg, which comes in at 2 hours and 33 minutes. It’s also not as long as Spielberg’s other foray into musicals – the 2021 version of West Side Story – which has a runtime of 2 hours and 36 minutes.

Interestingly, the 2023 version of The Color Purple is also shorter than the original Broadway musical that the film is based on, produced by Scott Sanders back in 2005. Theatrical performances lasted for 2 hours and 35 minutes – although this included an intermission. Both Sanders and Spielberg also serve as producers for the movie adaptation.

Despite its runtime airing on the longer side, The Color Purple has already smashed box office predictions, becoming the second-biggest Christmas opening of all time.

Is The Color Purple worth watching?

The Color Purple currently has a score of 88% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer, with an audience score of 95%.

Nadira Goffe at Slate wrote: “The Color Purple is still entertaining and deeply heartfelt (I had a face full of tears by the end), with some awards-worthy acting and singing (and, yes, dancing). I just wish it retained a greater sense of gravitas.”

Katie Walsh at Tribune News Service agreed: “Bazawule is an ideal match for the material. He breathes an energetic musicality and artistry into every frame, while cinematographer Dan Laustsen never lets the camera rest, swirling and spinning in step with the cast of talented performers.”

Jake Coyle at Associated Press added: “It can still be an awkward mix, and, like Spielberg’s movie, not all of the tonal changes work in this version of The Color Purple. But the payoff is immense, as are the thrilling performances at the movie’s center.”

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