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Iron Lung brings the 2022 cult indie game by David Szymanski to theaters as a tense, claustrophobic plunge into science-fiction horror. Released Jan. 30, the entirely self-financed film was written and directed by Mark “Markiplier” Fischbach, who also stars in his first major acting role.

The production earned $18.19 million during its opening weekend against a budget of $3 million. That placed the self-distributed movie second at the domestic box office, between releases from Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures and Amazon MGM Studios.

Set in a distant post-apocalyptic future, the story unfolds after the “Quiet Rapture,” a mysterious event that cuts off humanity and causes every star system and habitable planet to disappear. The survivors are scattered across isolated space stations with dwindling resources.

Fischbach plays Simon, a convict offered freedom in exchange for a perilous mission. He must pilot the SM-13 submarine—known as the Iron Lung—through an ocean of blood on the barren moon AT-5, photographing the depths and searching for anything the remaining humans can use.

Simon enters the water inside a dark, cramped vessel that has been welded shut. With no window, he can see the outside world only through a crude camera. A radio provides his sole, limited connection to others, leaving him poorly informed as he navigates the ocean and gradually uncovers unsettling truths about the assignment.

Fischbach’s inexperience occasionally shows in the film’s plotting and central performance. His familiarity as a prominent YouTube personality can also make it harder at first to disappear into the character. Still, the mounting dread and strong performances ultimately establish Simon as someone distinct from Markiplier’s online persona.

The film closely follows the game’s slow-burning approach, stretching the story to roughly two hours. Its single-location setting places heavy demands on the script, and the quiet, low-energy opening may test some viewers’ patience. Certain sequences linger longer than necessary, but that deliberate pace also captures Simon’s desperation and worsening condition before building toward an emotional conclusion.

Szymanski was closely involved in the adaptation, which retains much of the game’s identity. Dark cinematography, detailed set design and bleak styling give the confined production an imposing visual presence. The score and careful use of both sound and silence further intensify the sense of isolation.

Despite uneven pacing and the challenges of a first feature, Iron Lung emerges as an ambitious debut likely to appeal most strongly to fans of the original game and Fischbach. Its opening-weekend performance also demonstrates how a self-produced, independently distributed film can compete with releases from Hollywood’s largest studios.