Iron Lung Trailer: Markiplier’s Wildest Film Yet
Journey Tribune – The final trailer for Iron Lung, the long-anticipated film adaptation of the viral horror video game, has arrived—and it delivers exactly what fans hoped for: a suffocating sense of dread, a barrage of technical malfunctions, and a stunning amount of blood. YouTube superstar Mark Fischbach, better known to his nearly 40 million subscribers as Markiplier, unveiled the latest footage this week, offering the most complete look yet at his ambitious leap into filmmaking.
The original game, released in 2022 by developer David Szymanski, became an instant cult hit thanks to its unnerving premise. Players assume the role of a convicted criminal forced to pilot a tiny, deteriorating submarine across a “blood ocean” on a lifeless moon. With its grainy visuals and cramped setting, Iron Lung quickly earned praise for transforming minimalism into suffocating terror. Interest surged again in 2023 following the real-world disaster of the Titan submersible, giving the game renewed cultural relevance.
Now Markiplier is bringing that same atmospheric panic to the big screen. The final trailer wastes no time immersing viewers in claustrophobia. As the tiny sub begins its descent, every creak and flicker of the instrument panel signals danger. What starts as a tense mission rapidly spirals into chaos as the indicators flash “voltage irregularities,” hinting at electrical failures that could ignite sparks—or worse.
Voiceovers layered throughout the footage capture both the tension and the moral uncertainty of the mission. In one exchange, a character asks whether the vessel has ever been properly tested. The chilling answer—“This is the test”—instantly sets the tone for the turmoil ahead. As the risks escalate, so do the arguments among the crew. Trust fractures. Systems fail. And then the blood comes.
About midway through the trailer, the intensity shifts into overdrive. The submarine violently shakes. The alarms scream. Characters shout over one another as crimson liquid gushes through the vessel’s cramped interior. In interviews surrounding production, the team revealed they used more than 50,000 gallons of fake blood—a staggering amount for any film, let alone an indie project driven by a first-time feature director.
The trailer frames the mission as a “calculated risk,” but the footage suggests the crew is teetering on the edge of a death trap they can’t escape. As the final seconds roll out, a haunting, defeated voice whispers: “I just want to live. Is that so wrong?” It’s a simple line, but in the trailer’s context—dark, frantic, and blood-drenched—it lands like a gut punch.
For Markiplier, Iron Lung marks the culmination of a new creative chapter. While he rose to fame playing video games—including Iron Lung—his career has expanded rapidly in recent years. He now has credits as an actor, writer, producer, and director, with Iron Lung representing his most ambitious project to date. Beyond starring in the film, he took the helm as writer, director, and producer, working alongside co-stars Caroline Rose Kaplan, Seán McLoughlin (known online as Jacksepticeye), and the game’s creator, David Szymanski. Producers Will Hyde and Jeff Guerrero also supported the project.
Alongside the trailer’s release, Markiplier announced that tickets are officially available for pre-order. In the comments of the trailer’s YouTube upload, he encouraged fans to reach out to their local theaters if showtimes aren’t yet listed—an unusual move that highlights the film’s grassroots, fan-driven momentum rather than the push of a major studio.
Iron Lung joins a growing wave of video game adaptations that have dominated entertainment in recent years. Franchises like The Last of Us, Fallout, Minecraft, and Five Nights at Freddy’s have proven that game-based stories can succeed on the big and small screen alike. With new seasons, sequels, and adaptations—including Legend of Zelda, God of War, and Mass Effect—in active development, Iron Lung arrives during a cultural moment that is exceptionally welcoming to game-inspired storytelling.
Although not backed by a major Hollywood studio, Iron Lung is poised to attract a passionate audience. For fans of the game, and for those eager to see what Markiplier can deliver with full creative control, the countdown has officially begun.
Iron Lung is scheduled to hit theaters on Friday, January 30, 2026.
