Markiplier says studios “should be worried” after Iron Lung success

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Markiplier, the popular YouTuber, recently made a movie based on his game Iron Lung all on his own. In a new interview, he explained why traditional Hollywood studios might need to take notice of this changing landscape in filmmaking.

Iron Lung stands out from most movies today. It’s rare to see a film made entirely by a first-time director – they wrote, financed, produced, and edited it themselves – without any help from a major studio or marketing campaign. Typically, such a film would only screen at smaller film festivals.

Okay, so Iron Lung wasn’t just another indie game blowing up. It was based on this really cool horror game, and Markiplier – yeah, the guy with 38 million followers – got behind it. That’s how it ended up getting shown in huge movie theaters like AMC, Cinemark, and Regal! It was pretty wild to see a little indie title get that kind of attention.

The new movie has been a huge success, selling out showings almost instantly and earning close to $50 million worldwide after its late January release – all on a modest $3 million budget.

Markiplier on shaking up the movie industry after Iron Lung

I was reading an interview with a popular YouTuber on Vice, and they said they’ve got even bigger plans! They really think creators like us are starting to change the whole movie industry, which is pretty cool to think about.

The discussion started when someone asked Markiplier if his involvement with Iron Lung was a single project, or if it signaled a trend of YouTubers becoming more involved in filmmaking.

He believes this isn’t the start of something, but rather something that’s already occurred, and this is the first time it’s been shared publicly. He intends to repeat this action, stating that others should try to prevent him while they still have the chance.

The creator suggested that some studio executives may underestimate how serious the situation actually is.

He acknowledged that some people are worried about becoming irrelevant, wondering if their skills are still needed. But he assured them, ‘No, they don’t need us.’

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I understand that news is unsettling for studio executives, and they’re likely in denial about it. The reality is, I’m not a huge YouTube star – I might not even be in the top one hundred most popular creators, and that’s probably what they find most frightening.

He’s right. Currently, Markiplier has 38.5 million subscribers, making him the 152nd most subscribed-to channel on YouTube.

I do experience those feelings, but maybe not as often as people assume. I expect it to happen again, and likely many times in the future, he said.

Markiplier believes that as more YouTubers start making their own films, they might eventually collaborate and form their own production studio, similar to how streaming services have developed into something resembling traditional cable TV.

Markiplier doesn’t plan on changing that, though. “I prefer working on my own,” he explained, “which probably isn’t a surprise.”

I’m still open to collaborating with a studio in the future. I believe there are benefits to all options, and that’s what drives innovation. It’s important to be strategic and make smart choices.

He finished by reiterating, “Yeah, they should be worried.”

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2026-03-14 03:49