How to Plan a Movie Marathon

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Last Updated: October 17, 2024

Have you ever planned to have a movie marathon, but then got bored halfway through the second movie? Have no worries though; this is your guide to a successful movie marathon.

1

Narrow down your guest list.

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It could be a party type or just for you. If you want a big crowd, be sure to plan ahead and invite them!

2

Pick a movie theme.

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Some popular themes are chick flicks, horror films, and comedy. If you don't want to stick to one genre, you can just marathon your favorite movies.^{[1]
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3

Decide how many movies to watch.

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At least 2 movies are needed, or else it won't really be a marathon. A good amount is about 4 or 5 movies, but you can watch more for an extended marathon. A true movie marathon means watching 26.2 hours of movies, just as a marathon race is 26.2 miles (42.2 km).

4

Set a start time.

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It depends on how long you want to stay up and how many movies you have to watch. Most movies won't be much longer than 2 hours, but make sure you know how long each movie will take. So if you are watching 5 movies starting at 9 p.m., it would be too late, unless you want to pull an all-nighter.^{[2]
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5

Get some snacks to munch on.

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Popcorn cannot be ignored. Be sure to buy 1 or 2 boxes before the marathon begins. If any of your friends have a sweet tooth, get some candy like M&Ms. Common drinks to have at a marathon are of course soda and juice. Try to stock up on them before the marathon. Alcohol may add an element of fun to the marathon if you are all over the legal drinking age, and the movies are on the light-hearted side.^{[3]
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6

Provide a real meal for long marathons.

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If you’re hosting a long marathon, your guests may get tired of snack foods and expect a real meal. So, determine how you will feed them. Should everyone pitch in for pizza? Or will you take a break halfway through the marathon to grill up some burgers?

7

Provide enough space and blankets.

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Make sure wherever you are having the marathon has enough room. Bring down extra pillows and blankets to make it comfortable.

8

Make it a night to remember.

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Dim the lights and close the curtains for a real "movie theater" effect. During the movie breaks, put on some music and socialize. Try to bring a mix of friends so your friends can meet other friends of yours.^{[4]
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Question

What if everyone gets bored of the movies?

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If you think that everyone is going to get bored, only invite a few friends and plan some movie related activities for in between each showing.

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What if I want to have one by myself? How should I prepare?

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Get a lot of snacks, pillows, blankets, and choose a bunch of movies you will enjoy watching for an extended period of time.

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My movie marathon is 19 hours and 38 minutes. When should I start watching?

Community Answer

You should start at 5 a.m. so your movie marathon will finish at around 12:38 a.m.

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Tips

Go to the bathroom before each movie, that way you won't have to go while watching.

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You could have an intermission time where you have five minutes for everyone to do what they need to do.

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Have it in a room with enough space for your guests so you won't be too hot and/or crowded.

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Play along with the movie's theme to have more fun! Dress up like the characters, or have themed food that matches the movies you're watching.
Keep all of the snacks and food within arm's reach so people don't have to get up or go into a different room during the movies.
If you have lots of people and people have different preferences, try setting up different genres of movies in different rooms.
If you don't have blackout curtains, use dark colored blankets in front of any bright windows instead.

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Warnings

This may make you very tired the next day.

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Too many blankets and pillows may make you fall asleep.

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