Entertainment
Markiplier’s Gritty Sci-Fi Thriller Crushes Massive Milestone in Breakout Box Office Run
The self-proclaimed King of Five Nights of Freddy’s is now king of the box office. After a strong theatrical debut, breaking industry predictions and earning praise from audiences, Iron Lung continues to exceed expectations despite being self-funded and self-distributed. This horror sci-fi film marks the directorial debut of Mark Fischbach (aka Markiplier), which tells the story of a convict piloting a submersible in a post-apocalyptic universe.
Iron Lung currently sits at a Verified Hot audience score of 89% and a low critics’ score of 43% on Rotten Tomatoes. Additionally, Iron Lung grossed $21.5 million worldwide during its opening weekend, exceeding its reported $3 million budget. Since its release, Fischbach has hosted livestreams reacting to the movie’s box office results, to the point that he got emotional following its opening weekend. According to the YouTuber, he hopes his film will inspire other independent filmmakers, as Iron Lung was able to compete with Disney at the box office.
As of writing, Iron Lung has generated over $26 million worldwide, allowing the film to enter the Top 10 Highest-Grossing films of 2026, now sitting at #10. Fischbach hosted another livestream this week, where he praised Iron Lung becoming the “Number 1 movie in America.” He also announced that Iron Lung will be in theaters for another week and will be distributed in Southeast Asia.
What Is ‘Iron Lung’ About?
Iron Lung takes place in a distant future, where the universe has succumbed to an apocalyptic event called “The Quiet Rapture,” in which the stars and habitable planets have vanished, and survivors now reside in space stations. Fischbach stars in the film, playing Simon, a convict who’s selected to pilot a submersible called “The Iron Lung” on a moon that features an Ocean of Blood in hopes of finding resources. In exchange for his work, he will be granted his freedom. As he navigates this bloody sea, he discovers that he might not be alone in the ocean.
Fischback directed, wrote, starred in, and edited Iron Lung, and also features Caroline Rose Kaplan, Troy Baker (The Last of Us), Elsie Lovelock, Elle LaMont (Alita: Battle Angel), and Seán McLoughlin (Jacksepticeye). Originally, Iron Lung was supposed to have a limited theatrical run in 60 locations in North America. But after a strong fan campaign, in which people contacted their local movie chains to bring the movie to their region, Iron Lung is now available in over 4,000 locations across North America, Europe, and Oceania.
Iron Lung is now showing in theaters. Follow Collider to keep up to date with the latest updates.
- Release Date
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January 30, 2026
- Runtime
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127 Minutes
- Director
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Mark Fischbach
- Writers
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Mark Fischbach
- Producers
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Will Hyde, Amy Nelson, Jeff Guerrero
Cast
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Mark Fischbach
Speaker #2 (Voice)
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