"I'm talking about Iron Lung, a self-financed film by a beloved YouTuber named Mark Fischbach, who goes by the handle Markiplier, and who has more than 38 million followers to his name. The movie, an adaptation of an indie horror video game, had a budget of approximately $3 million-an amount that Iron Lung has already earned back seven times over, with a box office of $21.7 million worldwide."
"Markiplier's secret to getting his passion project into an impressive 3,000 theaters? According to an interview with Matt Belloni's podcast , he tapped into his network of fans, many of whom apparently work at movie theaters, and who vouched for the film to their managers. This is one of the rosier byproducts of his years cultivating a relationship with followers through videos that are usually-though not always-about gaming."
Iron Lung is a self-financed adaptation of a 2022 indie horror video game by David Szymanski, produced by YouTuber Mark Fischbach (Markiplier) on about a $3 million budget. The film has earned roughly $21.7 million worldwide, recouping its budget multiple times. Markiplier leveraged his large online following and fan network—including followers who work at movie theaters—to secure screenings in around 3,000 venues. A Sunday-night screening drew a packed, predominantly Gen Z audience that applauded when Markiplier's name appeared and remained engaged throughout the two-hour runtime. The story begins with a premise in which all stars and habitable planets vanish in an event called the Quiet Rapture.
Read at Slate Magazine
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]