Iron Lung (2026)
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2025-09 to 2026-08
A convict must navigate a submarine through a sea of blood on a desolate moon following a cosmic catastrophe.
The story
In the distant future, an apocalyptic event known as the "Quiet Rapture" causes all stars, inhabited planets, and the human population to vanish, leaving only a few survivors on space stations and ships. A convict named Simon is imprisoned and forced to pilot the SM-13, a submarine with a sealed porthole known as the "Iron Lung," through the depths of a moon's ocean of blood. To navigate, he must use a crude camera to capture still images while receiving limited communication from a crew on the surface. In exchange for completing this perilous mission, Simon is promised his freedom.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Following the "Quiet Rapture," Simon is forced to pilot the "Iron Lung" submarine through a moon's ocean of blood. He discovers a seed medallion and a recording from a previous pilot, and eventually encounters a sea monster. After being separated from the surface crew, he hears a voice—which he believes is a hallucination—guiding him toward a "light" linked to the Rapture. He eventually finds the wreckage of the SM-8 and learns the ocean is made of human blood. He makes contact with a mysterious entity and a woman named Ava, who is later consumed by the monster. In the climax, as the submarine floods with blood and mutates his body, Simon merges with a seed that grows into a giant tree, killing the monster and destroying the submarine. The film ends with the submarine's black box floating on the surface, discovered by an unknown party.
- First release year
- 2026
- Runtime (minutes)
- 125
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Mark "Markiplier" Fischbach
- Writers
- Mark "Markiplier" Fischbach · writer
- Cast and characters
- Mark "Markiplier" Fischbach · Simon; Caroline Kaplan · Ava; Troy Baker · David; Elsie Lovelock · the voice of the Monster; Elle LaMont · the voice of the Monster; Mick Lauer · the voice of the previous occupant of SM-13; Seán McLoughlin · Jack; Alanah Pearce · a Familiar Voice
- Genres
- science fiction; horror
- Themes
- isolation; survival; cosmic horror
- Tone and mood
- atmospheric; slow-burn
- Premise and plot tags
- post-apocalyptic; submarine; monster
- Source material / true-story basis
- 2022 video game by David Szymanski
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics, with praise for its atmosphere and visual style contrasted against criticisms of its slow pacing and the lead performance.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 54 · scale: 100 · review count: 9
- Production trivia
- The film is reported to contain more fake blood than the 2013 film Evil Dead.; Markiplier turned down a role in Five Nights at Freddy's (2023) to work on this film.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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