The science fiction horror movie “Iron Lung” was released on Jan. 30, 2026. It was written, directed, and edited by popular YouTuber Mark Fishbach, famously known as Markiplier. He plays the main character and also co-produced the film alongside Will Hyde and Jeff Guerrero. The movie is based on the indie horror video game called “Iron Lung” that was published and developed by David Szymanski.
The movie takes place in a post-apocalyptic future, where “The Quiet Rapture” caused stars, planets, and humans to disappear and only humans in spaceships and space shuttles were left untouched. A convict is forced to man a submarine called the Iron Lung to explore a moon covered in an ocean of blood after “The Quiet Rapture” occurred. Simon, the convict, is tasked to retrieve data to help save humanity.
Fishbach originally played the video game on his YouTube channel in 2022, after it was released. He was inspired to make this film because he liked the video game and wanted to fulfill his ambition for filmmaking. In April 2023, development of the movie started, and Fishbach stated that he would be self-funding the project. “Iron Lung” stars several actors and actresses, such as Caroline Rose Kaplan, Troy Baker, and Elsie Lovelock. According to Fishback, the film contains the most fake blood in any horror film, with approximately over 80,000 gallons. The premiere of the film took place in Los Angeles on Dec. 5, 2025. It was then officially released at the end of January of this year.
“Iron Lung” has been shown in about 4,150 theaters worldwide. The public reception of the film has been very mixed. Some critics have rated the film poorly and described it as rather boring and not very horror-like. While fans of Fishbach have shown their support by describing it as a successful adaptation and praising its horror atmosphere. On the Rotten Tomatoes website, it currently sits at 60% on the Tomatometer and 80% on the Popcornmeter.
“Iron Lung” is Fishbach’s directorial debut, and it has made over $37.2 million globally over its $3 million budget. The success of Fishbach’s “Iron Lung” has challenged the long-established and big-budget films from the Hollywood movie industry. While it is an ambitious film, it is sure to inspire more independent filmmakers in the future.