YouTuber Markiplier's self-financed horror film "Iron Lung" debuted to an estimated $21.5 million to $21.7 million globally during its opening weekend, marking a major success for the independent production.

The film earned $17.8 million domestically from 3,015 theaters and approximately $3 million to $3.9 million internationally across limited territories, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. The opening weekend performance represents roughly seven times the film's reported production budget of less than $3 million.

Markiplier, whose real name is Mark Fischbach, wrote, directed, starred in, and self-financed the entire project without support from a major studio, according to No Film School.

The YouTuber negotiated directly with theaters to secure the wide release after initially planning to show the film in only 50 independent theaters. Following strong demand from his 73 million social media followers, major chains including AMC, Regal, and Cinemark agreed to screen the movie.

The film opened at number two in North America, trailing only Disney's "Send Help," directed by Sam Raimi, which debuted to $20 million to $30 million. "Iron Lung" briefly topped the domestic box office on Friday with $8.9 million before finishing second for the full weekend.

Presales exceeded $5 million before the January 30 release, which was 30 times higher than "Terrifier 3" at a comparable point. The film earned $3.5 million from Thursday night previews alone, already surpassing its production budget before wide release, GameSpot reported.

Markiplier negotiated a 50-50 revenue split with theaters rather than the typical 60-40 split favoring studios. He emphasized that this arrangement makes the film profitable for both parties despite a shorter theatrical run than traditional releases.

The project represents a rare case of successful independent filmmaking without traditional studio backing or extensive marketing campaigns. Markiplier promoted the film primarily through social media, posting a trailer and encouraging fans to request screenings at their local theaters.

"Iron Lung" is based on the 2022 indie horror video game created by David Szymanski, who co-directed the film adaptation with Markiplier. The movie also stars voice actor Troy Baker and follows a fugitive searching for resources in a post-apocalyptic world.

During a YouTube livestream following the opening weekend, Markiplier became emotional while thanking fans for their support. He described the success as "a hero's moment to show indie filmmaking is possible," as per Variety.

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