Markiplier’s new horror movie, Iron Lung, just had a massive opening weekend, proving that YouTube stars can draw huge crowds to the big screen. Between January 29 and February 1, 2026, the film took over the box office, with Regal theatres accounting for 19% of all North American ticket sales. Fans flocked to see the self-distributed debut, making it the biggest opening ever for a film made by a digital creator.
A Big Bet on Indie Filmmaking
Regal went all in on this release, showing the movie at 99% of its locations. Markiplier, who wrote, directed, and starred in the film, noted that Regal was the first major chain to jump on board. They didn’t just show the movie; they even helped him set up a national blood drive to match the film’s gory theme.
Eduardo Acuna, CEO of Regal Cineworld, said the success shows how much people want to see new, creative voices in cinema. He pointed out that Mark’s deep connection with his audience is what turned a digital project into a real theatrical event.
Iron Lung Box office weekend numbers – $17.86M 3-Day Opening Weekend, which was good enough for second place! Send Help 3-Day Opening Weekend $20 Million.
3D-Printed Iron Lung Popcorn Buckets and “Abyss” Snacks
One of the coolest parts of the launch was a DIY project. Fans could download a 3D-print file for an exclusive “Blood Bucket” from the Regal Prop Shop. If you brought your printed bucket to the theater, you got free popcorn. So far, the file has been downloaded over 20,000 times. If you don’t have a 3D printer, you can still pre-order a bucket online until February 16.
The snack bar got an update, too. Regal sold an “ICEE Abyss Combo” featuring a blood-red ICEE and buffalo popcorn. For the 21+ crowd, they served a “Dark Depths” whiskey cola.
Giving Back with a Massive Blood Drive
Since the movie is famously bloody (it supposedly used a record-breaking amount of fake blood during filming), Markiplier wanted to do something helpful. He teamed up with Regal to host a national blood drive over the weekend. They even tried to break the world record for the most donations in one day to help with the current national shortage.
How to watch: You can still grab tickets for Iron Lung at theater kiosks, on the Regal mobile app, or at REGmovies.com. If you’re a Regal Unlimited subscriber, you can see it as part of your membership.
