The famous youtuber, Mark Edward Fischbach, better known as Markiplier, made a movie about a game that was a major hit recently.
Iron Lung is a 127 minute indie sci-fi horror film written, directed by, and starring Markiplier, based on the 2022 video game. Set after a cosmic apocalypse known as “The Quiet Rapture,” a convict named Simon is welded into a rickety submarine to explore an ocean of blood on a barren moon in exchange for freedom. The film, noted for its intense claustrophobia and reliance on still-image camera navigation, follows Simon as he encounters mysterious, terrifying, and potentially alive phenomena in the depths.
Simon is the protagonist and sole occupant of a cramped, rusted submarine tasked with exploring an ocean of blood on a desolate moon, played by creator and director Markiplier. He is a convict forced into this fatal mission for the C.O.I. in exchange for promised freedom.
Ava is a main character in the film, portrayed by actress Caroline Kaplan. She serves as a stern captain in the Consolidation of Iron (C.O.I.) and acts as the primary voice contact for the protagonist, guiding Simon through his mission via radio.
The Whisper is a primary antagonist and an eldritch, eel-like creature inhabiting the Blood Ocean of the moon AT-5, voiced by Elle LaMont. It is a highly intelligent creature, acting as a hive mind that stalks and toys with the protagonist, Simon, while possibly composed of past victims.
The voice of The Speaker is provided by actress and voice artist Elsie Lovelock. She also appears in the film as the SM-8 Research Lead. The character is a haunting, mysterious voice heard through the submarine’s speaker system.
Jack is a minor character and mechanic for the Consolidation of Iron who works under Captain Ava on the SM-13 mission. Portrayed in a cameo appearance by popular YouTuber Seán McLoughlin, better known as Jacksepticeye. The character is involved in the early scenes where the submarine is being prepared.
Filming for Markiplier’s Iron Lung movie began in April 2023 in Austin, Texas, with production wrapping up by April 30, 2023. The indie horror project, which involved heavy practical effects, moved into post-production shortly after, with the final film released in theaters on Jan 30, 2026.
Markiplier chose Iron Lung for his directorial debut due to his passion for the indie game’s intense, minimalist horror, claustrophobic atmosphere, and cryptic lore. He was attracted to its contained, single-set, low-budget nature, allowing him to focus on suspense and sound design, which he excels at.
Markiplier (Mark Fischbach) described his self-financed Iron Lung movie as a 3-year “grind” focused on capturing the game’s intense, claustrophobic atmosphere. Following its successful $21.5M+ debut, he expressed deep emotion, stating, “I’m tearing up… thank you guys so much,” and calling it a “hero moment” for indie filmmaking.
