Iron Lung, a horror film directed, written, produced by, and starring YouTuber Markiplier, is set for digital release on YouTube Movies & TV on May 31, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4]. The movie is adapted from the 2022 indie horror game by David Szymanski and had a wide theatrical release that began January 30, 2026, in nearly 3,000 theaters worldwide [1, 2, 4].
The film earned over $50 million globally on a reported budget of $3-5 million [1, 2, 3, 4]. Despite a moderately mixed critical response, with a 62% Rotten Tomatoes critics score, audience reception was strong at around 87% approval [3].
Markiplier explains his choice of an exclusive YouTube digital release by citing his loyalty to the platform and his existing audience of 38 million subscribers. "It's releasing exclusively on YouTube Movies because I figured you guys are already here anyway. It made the most sense," he said. "They were the people that would talk to me, because I don't know how many other companies would have, or even given me a chance of doing something like this" [3].
The digital release will be paid, with prices expected in the range typical for new movies, between $19.99 and $29.99, though the exact price has not been announced [1, 2, 3].
Following Iron Lung, Markiplier plans to take at least a year off from filmmaking. He said, "I want to spend more time with my wife first before starting another big project sometime next year," and indicated he will not star in his next movie project [2, 3, 4]. He confirmed he plans to start "working on something" in 2027 [1].
The film’s theatrical debut on January 30 and the upcoming YouTube digital release on May 31 mark the key dates in Iron Lung’s rollout [1, 2, 3, 4].
