University of Cincinnati

02/03/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/03/2026 20:20

UC alum Markiplier's debut film sees box office success

UC alum Markiplier's debut film sees box office success

WCPO celebrates Cincinnati native's feature film debut 'Iron Lung'

2 minute read February 3, 2026 Share on facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share on Reddit Print StoryLike

WCPO highlighted the box-office success of a University of Cincinnati alumnus' feature film debut, "Iron Lung."

UC College of Engineering and Applied Science alumnus Mark Fischbach co-wrote, directed and stars in the horror movie based on the cult-favorite video game. Fischbach, who goes by Markiplier, is one of YouTube's top gaming content creators with 38 million subscribers.

On his YouTube channel, he occasionally talks about Cincinnati, where he spent most of his childhood and attended Milford High School. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, Fischbach got married last September with a reception at Cincinnati's Union Terminal, home to the Cincinnati Museum Center.

"Iron Lung" received an 89% positive audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and was reviewed favorably by critics such as Jeremy Jahns. With a reported budget of $3 million, the independent movie made nearly $22 million globally on its opening weekend, finishing second behind veteran filmmaker Sam Raimi's horror movie "Send Help."

WCPO said Fischbach thanked his fans for supporting the project.

"I'm tearing up. It's been an emotional day in the best way possible," Fischbach said.

Read the WCPO story.

Featured image at top: UC alumnus Mark Fischbach stars in the new horror movie "Iron Lung" based on the video game title. Photo/Markiplier Studios

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