In an emotional moment, YouTube star Markiplier tearfully reflected on the long journey of making his first film, Iron Lung, after it was picked up by some of the biggest theater chains in the US.
Iron Lung is a passion project that has been in the works for years now. Based on the indie horror game of the same name that went viral in 2022, Mark’s movie follows a convict tasked with exploring an ocean of blood on a desolate moon after a cataclysmic event called ‘The Quiet Rapture’ resulted in the sudden disappearance of habitable planets and stars.
He worked alongside the game’s creator, David Syzmanski, to bring his vision to life. It was a largely self-funded venture, which the YouTuber wrote, directed, and even acted in, starring in the film’s lead role as the doomed convict.
Initially, Mark gave hopeful updates about the status of the movie, but revealed that he was struggling to get it picked up by theaters. This was a major point of contention for the creator, who refused to budge on giving his project the treatment it deserved.
Finally, in December 2025, Mark’s movie got its long-awaited theatrical release. While it wasn’t part of any major chains at the outset, smaller, independent theaters across the United States decided to show Iron Lung in their locations… and the demand was palpable.
Mere days later, major theater chains like AMC, Cinemark, and Regal announced that they would be showing Iron Lung in a huge win for Mark’s independent project. The two-hour-long film is set for release on January 30, 2026, though some theaters are showing advanced screenings a few days earlier.
Markiplier in tears as Iron Lung picked up by major theater chains
Mark reflected on this victory in a YouTube video on December 11, where he couldn’t help but tear up at how far he’d come and how grateful he was for his fans’ belief in him.
“It’s been so hard to juggle all of this for so long,” he admitted. “I just never expected something like this. …it’s so easy to get lost in the sauce when you’re three years into a project, and you’ve only had your reputation and your word to go on, and you believed in me. That means a lot.”
“These are good tears,” he laughed. “I’ve just had a lot of myself put into this. I’m very happy and motivated to keep making things. …I’m really, really happy, and I’m really grateful.”
That’s not all; the YouTuber revealed he’s in now talks to show the film internationally, marking another major victory for the film that he created with his own blood, sweat, and tears — literally.
Now that he can finally rest easy with Iron Lung being released, Mark went on to say that he will return his focus on his YouTube content, leaving fans equal parts relieved and excited for what’s to come.
