The YouTuber Mark “Markiplier” Fischbach has been accompanying MeinMMO author Johanna since her high school days. Naturally, she was even more excited to see him on a German cinema screen. On January 30, 2026, Markiplier brought his movie Iron Lung to theaters for a limited time. Johanna watched it and was pleasantly surprised by her favorite YouTuber.
What kind of film is this? The film Iron Lung is based on the game of the same name by David Szymanski (on Steam). In the game, the gameplay is limited to controlling a submarine in a sea of blood on an alien moon. The horror factor mainly comes from one’s own imagination, as players must navigate blindly.
The YouTuber Markiplier also played this game in 2022. Although the Let’s Play is quite short at only 45 minutes, the YouTuber was so excited by the concept that he wanted to produce a movie based on it. Now, about 4 years later, we can finally see the fruits of his labor.
On Friday, January 30, 2026, viewers could watch the film in select cinemas. However, since no major film production company is behind the film, Markiplier relied on his fans to ask cinemas if they would show it. Even here in Germany, some cinemas are showing the film.
What is the Iron Lung movie about? Iron Lung takes place in the future, where large parts of the galaxy have disappeared. Humanity has drastically reduced and is on the brink of extinction.
On an alien moon, whose oceans consist of blood, the prisoner Simon, played by Markiplier, is sent on a mission in a submarine. He is supposed to navigate through the blood with the submarine and get an impression of the ocean floor. There, he quickly realizes that he is not alone.
Markiplier makes the leap to the big screen
I went into the film with bias. After all, I have been watching Markiplier for a long time and like him as a content creator. However, I was also skeptical. Because my favorite YouTuber is still primarily a YouTuber, not an actor or director.
Even though he had already produced elaborate cinematic YouTube projects like A Heist with Markiplier, this is a different caliber.
As with the game, the entire film takes place in the submarine. A quite a challenge, as you always have to come up with new, exciting things to entertain the audience.
Especially at the beginning, the audience is put to the test. The film, especially in the first 30 minutes, is a real slow burner and takes its time to get going.
What surprised me particularly positively was the camerawork. There were camera shots that really caught my attention. They were abstract and not the usual “shot and counter-shot”.
However, towards the end, the film drags on. At some point, the suffocating feeling as a viewer becomes not only suffocating but annoying, and I want it to be over. Therefore, the film could have been about 15 to 20 minutes shorter, because at some point you think: “Okay, I get it!”
Tell, don’t show!
Even though the setting is just a submarine, the film still manages to create vivid characters and give us a good impression of what the world outside looks like.
The film succeeds in hopeless horror by breaking an important film rule: “Show, don’t tell!” Filmmakers, including actors, are often advised to show rather than tell elements of a film. This way, viewers can generate their own feelings instead of being spoon-fed everything through dialogue.
Iron Lung does the exact opposite: It shows us nothing but the inside of a submarine, blood, and the prisoner Simon. The world as it is now, and what happened before, is conveyed to us through snippets of dialogue.
The rest takes place entirely in the viewers’ minds. And that is what makes it so scary.
By only describing the world rather than showing it, I imagine it myself, creating a much greater hopelessness in my imagination than any image could ever provide.
Although there are always shock or disgust moments, it’s clear that the greatest horror arises individually. As viewers, we only know the inside of the submarine. That is, at that moment, our world, and it gives us a sense of hopelessness. Nevertheless, you can root for the main character to find an escape.
The worst part: Because the horror is greatest in my imagination, I naturally take it home with me, so I really had trouble falling asleep at night after the movie.
Conclusion: This film is not for everyone
This film will not be for every viewer. Especially for those who prefer jumpscares and fast action, this is not the right place. The horror of Iron Lung comes largely from the imagination of the viewers and takes its time to dive into the world (pun intended).
Even if I risk having to spend another night standing by the wall in fear, I would actually watch it again. Just to understand everything and put myself back in that suffocating atmosphere.
The film market seems to be becoming increasingly attractive for some content creators. This also applies to Irish YouTuber Seán “Jacksepticeye” McLoughlin, who is also taking on a horror film. You can read more about it here on MeinMMO: A YouTuber and streamer follows Markiplier’s example, producing a new horror film that excites fans
