No End in Sight: NEON Dares Horror Fans to Survive a 36-Hour ‘It Ends’ Marathon

NEON is putting horror fans to the ultimate test with The Endless Screening, a 36-hour theatrical endurance challenge inspired by Alex Ullom’s directorial debut, It Ends.

The Endless Screening: New York will begin at 7:00 p.m. ET on August 21 and continue through 7:00 a.m. ET on August 23 at Metro Private Cinema in New York City.

Four-person teams will take part in a “Last Person Standing” competition, challenging them to remain inside the theater for the full 36-hour marathon, with designated breaks throughout.

Each group member will receive $0.25 for every minute they remain in the competition, up to $540 per person. If every member of a group makes it through the entire 36-hour marathon, each member will receive an additional $500 bonus. Each participant will also receive a $250 theater credit toward concessions during the marathon, excluding alcohol. Bonus surprises will take place along the way.

The challenge takes its inspiration directly from the nightmarish premise of It Ends. In Ullom’s film, a group of recent graduates heads out on a late-night drive for food, hoping to enjoy one final hangout before their paths diverge. Instead, they accidentally turn onto a never-ending, two-lane hellscape surrounded by untold horrors and cosmic forces beyond their understanding.

Trapped together inside a Jeep Cherokee with the miles stretching infinitely ahead, they face a choice: embrace their new existence or fight to escape it.

The contest is open to legal residents of New York City who are 21 years of age or older. To enter, groups of exactly four must submit a video of no more than 60 seconds to Instagram explaining why they have what it takes to go the distance, using #ItEndsMarathonContest and tagging @itendsmovie. Entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. PT on August 17, 2026.

Not in New York City? NEON is also welcoming independent theaters interested in inviting their audiences on the ultimate joy ride to partner.