Markiplier Iron Lung movie: everything you need to know!

Oh man, if you have been anywhere near the internet lately, you know exactly what I am talking about. The Markiplier Iron Lung movie is officially out in theatres, and it is honestly blowing my mind! I mean, who would have thought that a short, super creepy indie video game could turn into one of the biggest, most hyped theatre experiences of the year?

If you are a fan of Mark Fischbach (aka Markiplier) or just love a good, claustrophobic scare, grab a snack. We seriously need to talk about everything that makes this cinematic debut so insanely cool.

What is the Markiplier Iron Lung movie all about?

Okay, so let’s break it down for anyone out of the loop. The Markiplier Iron Lung movie is a direct adaptation of the terrifying 2022 indie sci-fi horror game created by David Szymanski. The story is set in this super bleak, terrifying future where all the stars and planets in the universe just… vanished. Poof. Gone entirely. They call this event “The Quiet Rapture.”

Markiplier plays Simon, a convict who is basically forced into a tiny, rusty, falling-apart submarine called the Iron Lung. His mission? To navigate through an actual ocean of human blood on a creepy, desolate moon. Yeah, you read that right. An ocean of blood! He must take pictures of whatever is hiding down there in the dark to win his freedom. The whole vibe is incredibly tense. You really feel like you are trapped right there in that tiny metal tube with him.

Cast and cameos: who is in it?

You probably know Markiplier self-financed, wrote, directed, and starred in this, which is just a massive flex for his feature directorial debut. But he didn’t do it alone! The cast is pretty stacked. We get to see Caroline Rose Kaplan as Ava and the legendary voice actor Troy Baker as David.

But honestly, the absolute best part for us YouTube fans? Seán McLoughlin (Jacksepticeye) is in it too! Seeing Mark and Jack in a huge Hollywood-level project together is just the best feeling. Even the original game developer, David Szymanski, gets a sneaky little cameo role.

Box office: a massive indie win

You guys, this is the craziest part to me. The movie was made on a tiny budget of around $3 million. But since it dropped in wide release on January 30, 2026, it has exploded! As of mid-February, it has already grossed over $47 million worldwide. That is a massive runaway hit for an indie project!

If you love keeping up with awesome gaming content and internet culture crossing over into the mainstream, you definitely need to check out our latest viral entertainment news on Current Buzzwire. Also, if you want to see where all this nightmare fuel started, you can find the original Iron Lung game right here on Steam.

My honest thoughts

Look, critics have given it somewhat mixed reviews. Some people think the 127-minute runtime drags a little bit, especially since the original video game only takes about 45 minutes to beat. But honestly? I loved the slow burn. The gritty 90s grindhouse atmosphere and the constant, suffocating puzzle-solving tension… it just works so perfectly. It proves that YouTubers can seriously cross over into traditional filmmaking and absolutely crush it.

Have you seen the Markiplier Iron Lung movie yet? Did it scare you as much as the game did, or do you think you could survive a trip in that sub? Let me know in the comments below; I seriously cannot wait to hear your thoughts!