Gen Z horror hangout movie It Ends traps college grads on an endless road, and NEON is running with that concept with “The Endless Screening” challenge.
It Ends releases in NYC & LA theaters on August 21, which is also when “The Endless Screening” begins for daring groups of four. The film expands wide on August 28.
Even better? The challenge features a cash prize.
In It Ends, “Four recent college grads on a night time drive find themselves stuck on a road that sprawls on forever, with seemingly no end in sight. They are occasionally attacked by stragglers and have to find a routine to plan their rest stops, but after a few thousand miles it all feels the same. Still, they keep on driving, only in the belief something better will come eventually.“
“The Endless Screening” 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, 131 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10011.
Four-person teams will take part in a “Last Person Standing” style 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. And, because no endless journey should be entirely predictable, bonus surprises will take place along the way.
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. One person may submit on behalf of their group, but must name all group members in the video.
Entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. PT on August 17, 2026. The submitting Instagram account must be public at the time of entry. Groups of fewer than four people are not eligible.
For complete eligibility requirements and contest rules, visit the official IT ENDS Endless Screening Contest Official Rules.
It’s a fun endurance test for a great film. It Ends marks the feature debut of writer-director Alexander Ullom.
Ullom is already a filmmaker to watch; the newcomer has already been tapped to helm 4 X 4: The Event, which is described as Battle Royale meets Saw meets Climax.
