'Star Wars' May the Fourth marathon: How a handful of movie theaters across the U.S. prepare for a 21-hour screening of all 9 films

What does it take to host a nearly 21-hour Star Wars marathon for hundreds of superfans? The strength of the Force — and even more caffeine!

In honor of Star Wars Day and the 25th anniversary of The Phantom Menace’s theatrical debut, fans across the U.S. are gearing up for a nearly 21-hour Skywalker Saga Marathon on May 4.

The marathon will feature all nine Star Wars movies in chronological order: The Phantom Menace (Episode I), Attack of the Clones (Episode II), Revenge of the Sith (Episode III), A New Hope (Episode IV), The Empire Strikes Back (Episode V), Return of the Jedi (Episode VI), The Force Awakens (Episode VII), The Last Jedi (Episode VIII) and The Rise of Skywalker (Episode IX).

Altogether, that’s a run time of 20 hours 22 minutes.

Audiences will also get an exclusive look at the eight-episode Disney+ show The Acolyte, premiering June 4.

Approximately 16 theaters nationwide will be participating in the official Lucasfilm marathon. (Lucasfilm and Disney did not respond to requests for comment.) The event is a rare experience for Star Wars fans — one theaters are working hard to prepare for.

In San Francisco, the Alamo Drafthouse New Mission sold out its 300-seat auditorium for the event.

“A lot went into [planning for] this. … We have waves of staff coming in for this event,” Bridget Garraway, senior national event manager at Alamo Drafthouse, told Yahoo Entertainment. “It’s a long day, but we’ve been doing some prep on how to keep the kitchen going through the night and will have unlimited coffee and soda to keep the caffeine flowing” — for both the staff and the audience.

It’s not just ticket holders who are excited about the marathon screening and accompanying festivities.

“We love creating a show that anyone from a royal princess to a scruffy-looking nerf herder would be excited to attend,” Garraway said. “[The staff will] be there in costume, lightsaber in hand, ready to travel to a galaxy far, far away!”

Marcus Theatres Majestic Cinema in Milwaukee also sold out its seats.

“The marathon sold out really quickly, so we knew people were excited. We are prepared for a big group of die-hard Star Wars fans to come join us, and we can’t wait to have them,” Greg Marcus, chairman, president and CEO of Marcus Corporation told Yahoo Entertainment. “It’s such a thrill to be one of the very few locations throughout the country to host fans at this out-of-this galaxy event. It’s going to be one of those communal experiences that keep people coming back to the movie theater.”

The 16 theaters advertising the event are spread out across the United States. As of Thursday morning, 10 of the theaters are sold out. Here's where you can join the resistance:

• Arizona: Harkins at Tempe Marketplace 16 in Tempe

• California:

  • El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood

  • Regal Irvine Spectrum in Irvine

  • Alamo Drafthouse New Mission in San Francisco

• Florida: AMC Dine-In Disney Springs 24 in Lake Buena Vista

• Illinois: AMC River East 21 in Chicago

• Kansas: AMC Town Center 20 in Kansas City

• Colorado: AMC Westminster Promenade in Westminster

• Massachusetts: Showcase Cinema de Lux Legacy Place in Dedham

• New York:

  • AMC Empire 25 in New York City

  • Showcase Cinema de Lux Island 16 in Holtsville

• Pennsylvania: Regal US King of Prussia in Philadelphia

• Texas: Cinemark West Plano XD and ScreenX in Plano

• Utah: Megaplex Jordan Commons in Sandy

• Virginia: AMC Tysons Corner 16 in McLean

• Wisconsin: Marcus Theatres Majestic Cinema in Milwaukee

At Marcus Theatres Majestic Cinemas, a near-24-hour marathon is beyond its normal business hours, requiring all hands on deck from staff.

Ticket holders will also have to prepare for how they plan to manage their screening time accordingly.

Megaplex Jordan Commons in Sandy, Utah, posted its marathon schedule on its website, which included 25-minute breaks.

Fans planning to attend the screening at Alamo Drafthouse New Mission should be prepared to be there from beginning to end, or risk losing their seats. Those who make it through all nine films will be honored with a commemorative award.

To help them keep their energy high for the event, theaters are providing special amenities for marathoners, like the Milwaukee theater’s Star Wars-themed buffet.

Alamo Drafthouse New Mission is also offering a full array of Star Wars-themed food and activities to keep audiences awake between films.

“We’re taking some of our favorite Star Wars culinary creations we’ve created in years past to make a menu that’s out of this galaxy,” said Garraway — which include milkshakes inspired by the Sith, a special Mustafar-esque popcorn, and “cocktails that any cantina on Tatooine would proudly serve!”