Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Markiplier’s Self-Financed Iron Lung Scores Big, Sets Brief Theatrical Return

A direct-to-fan rollout turned a $3 million indie into a box-office outlier that now navigates a short theatrical window.

Overview

  • The sci‑fi horror adaptation opened to roughly $19–20 million domestically and about $22 million worldwide, according to tracking services including The Numbers.
  • With a reported production cost near $3 million, early receipts represent roughly a seven‑times multiple of the budget.
  • Released without a traditional distributor, Mark Fischbach mobilized his YouTube audience to request showings, prompting an expansion to more than 3,000 theaters.
  • Forbes reports the movie briefly vanished from some box office charts because it paused weekday showings, and it is slated to return to theaters on Friday before a PVOD run.
  • Reaction is sharply divided, with Rotten Tomatoes showing about 44% from critics versus an 89% verified audience score, as reviews frequently cite pacing and the single‑location design.