Who said Youtuber fans won’t show up and show out for their favorite content creator? Markiplier fans certainly did not disappoint for his debut film, “Iron Lung.” Since its initial announcement four years ago, fans have been patiently waiting for any news regarding the film. The Youtuber/director in question, Mark Fischbach, has built this project from the ground up: writing, directing, editing and starring in the film. The indie film was initially set to be shown in 60 theaters, but thanks to fans themselves mobilizing to call their local theaters, the current count for areas showing the film has grown to over 4,000 including out of the USA to as far as Australia and New Zealand. 

To understand this demand, we need to shift the perspective onto Fischbach’s Youtube channel to get a better picture. He began uploading to Youtube in 2012 and gained fame for filming himself playing video games, most notably the horror game Five Nights at Freddy’s. Currently, Markiplier’s Youtube channel stands at 38.2 million subscribers. Fans from all over the world rally behind this man for the creative, humble and funny side he showcases in his work. This film wasn’t his first rodeo when it came to creative works, his first three major projects being: “A Date with Markiplier,” “A Heist with Markiplier,” and “In Space with Markiplier.” All three projects are widely available to any who wish to see them on his channel and were the biggest driving force in the faith fans had over this project.  

The moment this film had a release date, fans took social media by storm, talking amongst one another and making their own respective videos showcasing ideas for what to wear when going to see the film. Throughout Fischbach’s many videos, in his more creative endeavors, he has fictional characters he made for different videos which are referred to as the “Ipliers” in the fandom. When talks of dress came, many expressed that they wanted to dress as the many different “Iplier” characters, ​​some of the most popular being that of Wilford Warfstache and Darkiplier. These two characters appear in many of Fischbach’s work, with Wilford Warfstache donning pink and yellow with his crazed personality, and Darkiplier with the more brooding and dark personality, combined with a suit and heavy eyeliner. Both of these characters have become beloved within the fandom, thus fans to dress up as them. However, if fans weren’t wanting to don a cosplay of the many characters in Fischbach’s worlds, they decided they would match the black and red colors for the film’s poster.  

Personally, I went with an all-red look to pay homage to the blood ocean that is a center-point in the film’s marketing. Stepping into the theater on that initial release date on Friday, Jan. 30, I was met with a packed theater. This was not the first showing, as the premier was before that, but the theatres that sold tickets for the film either sold out or were on the verge of being full. For my showing, there were fans everywhere, myself being a part of a group of eight friends all excited to see the film. To my left in the seats closest to me, a group of five friends were donning ​​Darkiplier suits, and scattered throughout there were various Ipliers, including the hilarious Wilford Warfstache, able to be pinpointed by the hilarious pink afro. Fans buzzed with excitement, theorizing and gushing about the film and what could be in store for everyone. 

 The energy was incredibly electric. As a fan of Markiplier who had only ever gushed about him to my closest friends and in the privacy of my own room, it was amazing to be in this environment. Fischbach drew in fans of all walks of life, all with the one commonality: they watched his videos on the internet. When the film began, the excitement was brought to silence, but the air was still filled with its buzz. The film drew reactions of all sorts, and at times fans would make quick jokes. Luckily though, it was mostly contained. By the time the credits rolled, fans were filled with many emotions. As each frame passed by, pictures of the cast, crew, friends and family that all participated in the film’s making appeared. Each picture was met with different reactions, mostly mixes of laughter and utter joy. However, when Markiplier’s beloved dogs, Chica and Henry, (who recently passed) appeared, they were brought to tears. Fans couldn’t help but express their love for not only the film but the people behind it, and if that doesn’t show the impact Markiplier had on the masses, I don’t know what will.  

After the show, fans lingered in and outside the theater, theorizing amongst one another over the ending, and what the film even meant. This fandom, who primarily enjoys his content from the comfort of their homes, were finally able to come together. This isn’t a surprise, but something so sweet and pointed out was how humble and thankful Fischbach was for this very aspect. As of Feb. 1, “Iron Lung” took the spot for number one film in America, Australia and New Zealand. This independent film, funded and worked directly on by Markiplier, beat out major film studios. According to Paul Tassi, in his article, “Markiplier’s ‘Iron Lung’ Quadruples Its Budget In A Day, Winning Friday Box Office (2026),” “Iron Lung” made $3.5 million in Thursday previews, and this $8.9 million Friday figure brings it to $12.4 million already, so $17 million might even be low.” These numbers prove the power of fandom. The movie didn’t have a worldwide release, nor any major studio backing it, yet the fans who wanted to see this film showed up for Markiplier. This, in the day and age where theaters are struggling to get people in their seats, means everything. Markiplier has proven to the world that this passion project of his is worth seeing. Independent films and first-time directors of his caliber from spaces otherwise not taken seriously have a chance to stand against Hollywood head on. This is the power of fandom, but more importantly, this is the power of Markiplier’s fans.