Mark Edward Fischbach—better known to 38 million people as Markiplier—is taking “solo project” to a whole new level. For his feature directorial debut, he didn’t just step behind the camera; he wrote, starred in, edited, financed, and is distributing the film himself.
His brainchild, a claustrophobic adaptation of the indie horror hit Iron Lung, crashes into theaters today. And it’s getting a massive rollout, hitting 4,164 screens worldwide, with 3,000 of those right here in the U.S.
Cosmic Horror at Its Peak
If you aren’t familiar with David Szymanski’s 2022 game, the setup is pure nightmare fuel. It begins with “The Quiet Rapture,” a terrifying event in which every star and planet in the universe vanishes. The only survivors are the people left stranded on isolated space stations and starships.
Decades later, a desperate group known as the “Consolidation of Iron” discovers a literal ocean of blood on a barren moon. They send a convict (played by Markiplier) down into the deep in a tiny, rusted submarine to scavenge for resources. The catch? The sub’s forward window is welded shut. To navigate the crimson depths, he has to rely entirely on a grainy monitor and his own fading sanity.
Blood, Sweat, and More Blood
Markiplier isn’t just looking to tell a story; he’s looking to break records. Iron Lung reportedly used a staggering 80,000 gallons of blood, officially dethroning Evil Dead (which used 50,000 gallons) as the film with the most blood used.
But for Mark, this isn’t about the box office or the records—it’s about the craft. After a three-year journey, he’s ready to share his vision:
“I don’t care about making a profit… YouTube has been very good to me. I’m able to afford to take these chances that a lot of people aren’t. Even if it never had any success, my personal metric is that it’s done and I’m proud of it.”
In a statement about his superhuman effort, Markiplier quipped, “They said it shouldn’t be done. Not that it couldn’t be done, people have made movies before, just that it would be ‘woefully unwise’ to tackle writing, directing, acting, and editing a movie myself. Showed them.”
He then added the ultimate Markiplier flex: “My bathroom might be a render farm now, but I can’t wait for people to see the blood, sweat, blood, tears, blood, and blood that went into this movie from everyone involved.” He also confidently claimed that Iron Lung holds a world record “for most blood in a horror movie. Or any movie for that matter.” Get ready for a gory spectacle!
Keeping the Mystery Alive
Mark worked closely with the game’s developer to expand the lore without giving too much away. He wants the audience to leave the theater scratching their heads, wanting to dive back in for a second viewing or a deep-dive breakdown video.
From self-financing the entire production to navigating a sub through an ocean of blood, Markiplier is proving that if you want something done right, you might have to do it all yourself.
Get ready for a blood bath, Iron Lung is in theaters now (January 30)! Make sure you grab snacks; the film has a two-hour, seven-minute runtime.
