Markiplier has scored a major surprise at the box office with his independently made film Iron Lung. The movie opened at No. 2 in North America, earning $17.8 million from 3,015 theaters in its first weekend. It also brought in another $3 million from international markets, taking its global opening total to $21.7 million. This result is especially impressive because the film was released without the backing of a major Hollywood studio and went up against Disney’s thriller Send Help, which debuted at No. 1 with $30 million.
The success of Iron Lung is a big moment for both Markiplier and independent filmmaking. Known mainly for his massive YouTube following, Markiplier, whose real name is Mark Fischbach, fully self-financed and self-distributed the film. The project reportedly cost around $3 million to make, meaning it is already highly profitable. Markiplier wrote, directed, and starred in the movie, which is based on a video game and follows a fugitive trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world filled with danger and mystery.
