YouTube indie hit Iron Lung is a box office smash
The YouTube indie thriller Iron Lung celebrated a major box office success, grossing $17.8 million on its opening weekend. The science fiction horror film thus surpassed Malenia, Zootopia 2, and Avatar: Fire and Ash. Only Sam Raimi’s Send Help managed to hold its own, maintaining its strong position with $20 million over the weekend.
Iron Lung is based on the video game of the same name by the indie developer David Szymanski. It is set in 2022 and is about a convicted criminal who, after an event called “the Quiet Rapture” in which most of humanity and the stars disappear from the universe, is trapped in a welded-shut submarine and forced to explore an ocean of blood on a moon in search of resources.
The success of Iron Lung rests on many factors, but one seems particularly significant to the film’s popularity: the man behind it: Mark Edward “Markiplier” Fischbach. With over 33 million subscribers on YouTube, Fischbach is known for playing indie horror games and using his vast reach to bring indie games into the spotlight. Iron Lung is no exception: The YouTuber showcased the game on his channel back in 2022. At the time, no one suspected that it would inspire Fischbach to finance, direct, write, and even star in the film.
However, there was some discussion surrounding Iron Lung. In a video on X, Fischbach points out that the box office results over the weekend showed something strange.
Iron Lung disappeared from the charts for two days
In the video, Fischbach points out that “Iron Lung” was number one in the box office charts on Friday, January 30th, its theatrical release day. He then notes that the film apparently disappeared from the charts on Saturday and Sunday. It has since reappeared in the box office charts.
Fans quickly attributed this mystery to the film’s indie nature, suggesting that major studios and distributors might be trying to sabotage independent productions. Markiplier’s fans had to call countless cinemas just to get a screening – a decision they certainly don’t regret now.
Despite its brief disappearance from the box office charts and mixed reviews, Iron Lung grossed significantly more than its production budget of under $3 million. Could Fischbach repeat this success should he try his hand at directing again? It’s hard to predict, but the YouTuber is currently being celebrated for his bold foray into this artistic field.
