monumental work; epic; long film
Refers to a literary or cinematic work of exceptionally large scale, length, or ambition. Often used for novels, films, or series.
彼の最新作は1000ページを超える巨編だ。
His latest work is a monumental piece exceeding 1000 pages.
この巨編映画は三部作で、合計9時間に及ぶ。
This epic film is a trilogy, totaling nine hours.
長編 simply means a long work, while 巨編 implies not just length but also monumental ambition or quality.
Standard kanji spelling for a massive literary or cinematic work.
Variant kanji spelling using 篇; less common but still seen.
Compound of 巨 (きょ, 'huge') and 編 (へん, 'compilation' or 'volume'), literally meaning a huge volume or compilation.