"Forrest Gump" runs 142 minutes, or 2 hours and 22 minutes, in its original theatrical form. Robert Zemeckis directed the film for Paramount Pictures, which released it in U.S.
theaters on July 6, 1994, carrying a PG-13 rating, according to The Numbers. That 142-minute figure is also the number Wikipedia's infobox currently lists for the film, drawn from its sourced production and release data, per Wikipedia. A handful of catalog and classification listings show slightly different numbers for later releases, and this guide explains why those variations exist, what the end credits involve, and where to watch the film today.
Table of Contents
- How Long Is Forrest Gump, Exactly?
- Why Some Listings Show 141 or 143 Minutes
- What About the End Credits?
- Home Video and Re-Release Versions
- Where to Watch Forrest Gump Now
- Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Is Forrest Gump, Exactly?
The theatrical cut of "Forrest Gump" is 142 minutes long. This is the runtime tied to its original 1994 U.S.
release and the figure most commonly cited for the film, confirmed by The Numbers and matched in Wikipedia's current infobox. The film carries a PG-13 rating in the United States, assigned at the time of its 1994 theatrical release, per the same box-office and distributor record from The Numbers. That classification has stayed with the film across its home-video and streaming releases.
Why Some Listings Show 141 or 143 Minutes
A handful of catalog entries list the runtime at 141 or 143 minutes rather than 142. These are not alternate cuts of the film; every documented version uses the same theatrical edit. The British Board of Film Classification recorded a 143-minute runtime for a 2013 2D theatrical re-release, along with content notes for implied drug use, moderate sex, and infrequent strong language, according to the BBFC's release record.
Some library catalog listings for Paramount's 2001 two-disc "Special Collector's Edition" DVD instead show 141 minutes, a one-minute variance consistent with NTSC/PAL frame-rate rounding rather than any trimmed or added footage, as noted in the Akron-Summit County Public Library catalog. No source documents any scene cuts, extended footage, or re-edited sequences behind these numbers. A difference of one minute on a packaging slip or catalog record reflects how that particular format counted frames, not a different film.
What About the End Credits?
No distributor has published a separate timed breakdown of the closing end-credits sequence for "Forrest Gump." The 142-minute runtime (and the 141- to 143-minute variants found on some releases) refers to the full presentation, credits included, across every documented format: VHS, DVD, Blu-ray, 4K UHD, and streaming, according to The Numbers. If a runtime listing you're checking against shows a number close to 142 minutes, it's describing the same single theatrical cut rather than a shortened or extended edit. There is no bonus scene or extended footage tucked after the credits that would explain a longer runtime on any release.
Home Video and Re-Release Versions
Paramount's original VHS release arrived on April 27, 1995, and multiple library systems catalog it at 142 minutes, matching the theatrical cut rather than a trimmed home-video edit, per The Numbers. The 2001 "Special Collector's Edition" DVD followed, with some catalog listings showing the one-minute rounding variance described above.
A 30th-anniversary 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray steelbook released in the UK on July 1, 2024, packaging the UHD disc with a standard Blu-ray, a digital copy, and two soundtrack CDs, according to HMV. That same 4K restoration also had a limited UK theatrical re-release, opening July 19, 2024, in 228 theaters; box-office tracking data does not document an equivalent U.S. theatrical re-release, per Box Office Mojo.
Where to Watch Forrest Gump Now
In the United States, "Forrest Gump" currently streams on Paramount+ and Peacock. It's also available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV, YouTube, and Google Play, according to JustWatch.
Exact access tiers vary by platform and can change, so checking the current listing before watching is worth the extra minute. Whichever platform you choose, the runtime is the same 142-minute cut described above — there's no shortened streaming edit to watch out for.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did any version of Forrest Gump cut or add scenes that changed its runtime?
No. Every documented release — VHS, DVD, Blu-ray, 4K UHD, and streaming — uses the same 142-minute theatrical cut; the 141- to 143-minute figures on some listings reflect catalog rounding or re-release classification records, not edits to the film.
Was there a 2024 theatrical re-release of Forrest Gump in the United States?
A 30th-anniversary 4K restoration had a limited theatrical re-release in the UK, opening July 19, 2024, in 228 theaters, but box-office tracking data does not document an equivalent U.S. re-release.