Three Thousand Years of Longing is George Miller’s first movie since 2015’s fantastic Mad Max: Fury Road. Joining him in this outing is Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton. What does the filmmaker have in store for movie fans after a seven year wait?
While some critics have already had the chance to see the movie at the Cannes Film Festival back in May, many more movie lovers are waiting for this latest big screen adventure from Miller, Swinton and Elba. We have everything you need to know about Three Thousand Years of Longing right here.
When is the Three Thousand Years of Longing release date?
Three Thousand Years of Longing releases for US audiences exclusively in movie theaters on August 26. The movie arrives for UK audiences on September 2, also exclusively in theaters.
As we mentioned, its been seven years since Miller made his last movie, but such gaps aren’t uncommon for the director. During his career he’s gone five, six and eight years between movies. They’re often worth the wait though.
Also check out what are some of the other new movies coming out in 2022.
What is Three Thousand Years of Longing rated?
Three Thousand Years of Longing is rated R in the US for "some sexual content, graphic nudity and brief violence." In the UK the movie is rated 15.
How long is Three Thousand Years of Longing?
The runtime for Three Thousand Years of Longing is one hour and 48 minutes.
What is the plot of Three Thousand Years of Longing?
This isn't your average genie story, as made pretty clear by the official plot synopsis from MGM:
"Dr Alithea Binnie is an academic... a creature of reason. While in Istanbul, she happens to encounter a Djinn who offers her three wishes in exchange for his freedom. At first, she doubts that he is real and she knows all the cautionary tales of wishes gone wrong. But the Djinn pleads his case and eventually she is beguiled and makes a wish that surprises them both."
Three Thousand Years of Longing reviews — what the critics are saying
What to Watch's Three Thousand Years of Longing review describes the movie as "just the ticket for anyone wishing for something different to watch." In particular, our review praises a standout performance from Idris Elba and the vision and spectacle created by director George Miller.
Three Thousand Years of Longing reviews are available. On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie currently (as of August 26) scores a 68% "Fresh," while Metacritic's composite of reviews rates it at 58 ("Mixed").
Here's a snippet from critic Anne Thompson from when she saw the movie during its screening at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2022:
George Miller’s Three Thousand Years of Longing is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. It’s a gorgeously wrought epic fairy tale romance between a djinn (Idris Elba) and an academic (Tilda Swinton) who studies storytelling. He tells her a bang of a tale; she makes wishes.May 20, 2022
Who is in the Three Thousand Years of Longing cast?
Tilda Swinton and Idris Elba headline Three Thousand Years of Longing. Swinton is playing the scholar, Alithea Binnie, while Elba plays the djiin.
Swinton and Elba are two A-list actors who have been working for decades. Swinton is best known for her Oscar-winning role in Michael Clayton and movies like We Need to Talk About Kevin, Snowpiercer and Suspiria. Elba, meanwhile, broke out with the BBC show Luther, starred in big blockbusters like Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw and The Suicide Squad, as well as being a popular pick for the next James Bond. The two also have occupied the Marvel Cinematic Universe — Swinton as the Ancient One and Elba as Heimdall. However, Three Thousand Years of Longing marks their first time working together.
Movie fans are getting a lot of Idris Elba in August 2022, as a week before Three Thousand Years of Longing releases in movie theaters the actor has another movie, Beast, set to debut.
Other members of the Three Thousand Years of Longing cast, include Kaan Guldur, David Collins, Alyla Browne, Jack Braddy, Nicholas Mouawad and more.
Here are some photos of Swinton and Elba in the movie:
Who is director George Miller?
Here’s a little more info on the career of George Miller, who is best known for directing Max Mad: Fury Road but has a varied career that spans back to the '70s.
Miller’s first feature film was the original Mad Max starring Mel Gibson in 1979. He directed all of its sequels, including The Road Warrior, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome and Mad Max: Fury Road. He also is lined up to direct the Fury Road spinoff Furiosa (tapped right now for a 2024 release) and another Mad Max movie, Mad Max: The Wasteland.
If all this makes you think a fantasy romance seems like an odd choice for Miller, he actually has been a director who loves to tackle different types of projects. Some of his other credits include fantasy comedy The Witches of Eastwick, the biopic Lorenzo’s Oil and the kid-focused movies Babe: Pig in the City, Happy Feet and Happy Feet Two. But based on first look at the movie, perhaps we shouldn't be expecting the traditional kind of "fantasy romance" from Miller.
Is there a Three Thousand Years of Longing trailer?
Yes, the first trailer for Three Thousand Years of Longing is here. Watch all the craziness that George Miller and company have in store for us directly below:
A teaser for the movie was previously shared:
The first clips from Three Thousand Years of Longing is also available, including the release of the Djinn and Elba's Djinn and Swinton's academic debating what the point of three wishes even is:
