Markiplier, Iron Lung, and the Audience Led Campaign that Left Hollywood Gobsmacked

Project Abstract

Earlier this year, Mark Fischback, better known as Markiplier, made the jump from YouTube content to film: Iron Lung. He did so with no major studio backing, no external financing, and he did most of the writing, acting, and editing himself. Markiplier didn't even do an ad campaign. His fans took care of that, calling theaters with such enthusiasm that theater employees complained about a bot campaign. There were no bots, but there was an army of dedicated Markiplier fans.

In my presentation, I will first look at the Let's Play genre of YouTube, which is the genre that Markiplier typically posts in. The Let's Play genre allows creators to both create a YouTube personality and to interact with the audience, building trust while maintaining character(s). Fischbach's channel also contains larger projects that preceded his movie, such as the “Choose your own Adventure” series "Who Killed Markiplier?" and "In Space with Markiplier." His YouTube career is how Fischbach built up such a large and loyal audience.

As Fischbach is a gamer, it's unsurprising that Iron Lung is a game adaptation. I look at how games and films interact with one another, as well as how the Iron Lung compares to the original game. I also examine how Iron Lung differs from other movies and why it left critics confused by its success. No one expects a Let's Player, someone who makes content that's not exactly considered cinematic, to come out swinging with a good full length film. Let's Plays are usually more about the way a video game is played and about a creator's ability to riff on it, while films are more about making the audience feel something. It's escaped critics that a Let's Player can still give the viewer a worthwhile viewing experience.

Conference Name

Midwest Pop Culture Association Conference

Conference Details

The conference is in Muncie, Indiana, on October 9-11, 2026. The sponsoring body is the Midwest Pop Culture Association. 

The website: https://www.mpcaaca.org/ 

Funding Type

Travel Grant

Academic College

College of Humanities and Fine Arts

Area/Major/Minor

English/English Education with Secondary Certification/Literature

Degree

English Education with Secondary Certification

Classification

Junior

Name

Andrew Black

Academic College

College of Humanities and Fine Arts

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