Markiplier Interview Highlights: From Horror Let’s Plays to Iron Lung

Markiplier made his name screaming at horror games on YouTube. Then he made something few creators try: a feature film he wrote, directed, starred in, edited, paid for and released himself. It reached more than 3,000 theaters after his fans asked their local cinemas to book it.

This post is for creators who want to know how an audience becomes a box office, for marketers and brands sizing up creator-led projects, and for fans curious how a horror-game YouTuber became a filmmaker. It covers his start, how he thinks about his audience, how he makes things, Iron Lung, burnout, his advice, brands and what he’s doing as of October 2026.

Who is Markiplier?

Markiplier is an American YouTuber, filmmaker and actor, born Mark Edward Fischbach in Honolulu, Hawaii, on June 28, 1989, who became one of YouTube’s most popular creators with Let’s Play videos of indie horror games. A Let’s Play is a video of someone playing a game while commenting on it.

He grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and studied biomedical engineering at the University of Cincinnati before dropping out to work on YouTube. He signed with the talent agency WME in 2016 and moved to UTA in 2023. Along the way he made two interactive YouTube Originals and launched the podcast Distractible, and in 2026 he released his first feature film, Iron Lung. He married his longtime girlfriend, Amy Nelson, in September 2025.

How did Markiplier get started?

“All this stuff culminated at once … I was in the hospital and decided I wanted to do something else.”

— Markiplier, Variety, June 2016

The “stuff” was 2012. Variety reported that he was laid off from a job, his mother kicked him out after an argument, he needed an emergency appendectomy, and he was then told he had a tumor in an adrenal gland. He first wanted to make action videos “with guns and explosions,” then found he liked filming himself playing games.

“I wanted to put myself onto the screen 100% … I wanted to make sure people saw me for me, and made sure I was being authentic. The way I play videogames with my friends was how I wanted to come across—that’s the style I applied to my videos.”

— Markiplier, Variety, June 2016

His first Let’s Play series was Amnesia: The Dark Descent. Problems with his AdSense account, which pays creators for ads, stopped him from earning from his first channel, so he abandoned it and in April 2012 started the channel he still uses, Business Insider reported. He left college two semesters short of graduating, he told WCPO in 2019. His first Five Nights at Freddy’s video, posted in August 2014, had more than 127 million views as of February 2026, according to Wikipedia.

The lesson isn’t the hospital. His format was a personality choice: play the way you play with friends, and let viewers in. Our PewDiePie interview covers another Let’s Play star of that era, who has also collaborated with him.

How does Markiplier think about his audience?

“When I had 100 subscribers, my focus was interacting personally with everyone. But you quickly realize you can’t maintain that in the thousands; that growth broke my heart in a lot of ways, because I realized I’d reached a point where things could become distorted. I could stop being a person to them and they could stop being human to me.”

— Markiplier, YouTube Official Blog, February 2026

In the same interview he said he works hard to remember that the numbers aren’t actually numbers. He has said versions of this for years.

“No matter what the changes of the Internet are … so long as you remember, it’s always people that are watching, and people that you’re making connections with … there’s always behind every single number, hopefully a person, a real person who is giving you their time. That is the most basic social contract that humans have.”

— Markiplier, Variety, March 2023

He told TheWrap in 2026 that he tries to make his channel about why he makes things, not only what. For your own channel, read comments as messages from people, and show viewers why you’re making the next thing. An audience that understands your reasons is more likely to follow you into a new format.

How does Markiplier make his videos and films?

“It is a lot of work to try to be the ‘do everything’ guy, but that’s what YouTubers are. When I started YouTube, and a lot of people that started YouTube, they had to do everything themselves. They had to make all the content, they had to write and edit it themselves. They had to make their own thumbnails.”

— Markiplier, TheWrap, February 2026

His projects grew in steps. A Heist with Markiplier, YouTube’s first interactive special in 2019, had 31 possible endings, Variety reported. In Space with Markiplier followed in 2022 and was nominated for a Children’s and Family Emmy.

Editing is the part he keeps for himself. On Iron Lung, he led an editing team that included his longtime YouTube editor, Lixian, but made the final calls, Tubefilter reported.

“Editing is one of the things I really love … I think more directors should get their hands dirty in the edit. It’s where everything comes together.”

— Markiplier, Tubefilter, January 2026

He told Tubefilter he had no formal training, comparing himself to a musician who can’t read sheet music but still knows how to play. Compare our Casey Neistat interview, another creator who edits his own work start to finish.

How did Markiplier make and release Iron Lung?

Iron Lung is a film adaptation of David Szymanski’s 2022 indie horror game, in which a convict pilots a small submarine through an ocean of blood on a distant moon. Deadline reported in April 2023 that Markiplier had started production in Austin, Texas, starring in and directing the film from his own script, and paying for it himself. He shot it in 35 days inside a life-size version of the submarine, Tubefilter reported.

Self-distribution means the filmmaker, not a studio or distributor, books the film into theaters and handles the release.

“When I decided to put the film out myself, I didn’t know it was going to be in 3,000 theaters. I thought it would come in 200 theaters max.”

— Markiplier, TheWrap, February 2026

He told TheWrap that his only call to action was a single comment under a video, telling fans they could ask their local theater to show it. Theaters first thought the flood of emails was a bot campaign. Regal then booked the film across its whole circuit, TheWrap reported.

Iron Lung opened on January 30, 2026, in 3,015 theaters and took $18.19 million in its opening weekend, second only to Sam Raimi’s Send Help, NBC News reported. TheWrap called it the highest opening weekend ever for a self-distributed film. As of October 2026, The Numbers lists $41.1 million in the US and Canada and $51.2 million worldwide. NBC News reported a $3 million budget and Deadline $4 million; Fischbach hasn’t disclosed the figure, Tubefilter reported. Critics were mixed: the BBC noted a 61% Rotten Tomatoes score and two-star reviews from Empire and The Guardian.

“And maybe if that could inspire someone to keep making films, that’d be pretty cool … And maybe if it could open up a door for other people to do their projects independently and know that there could be success in it, I think that’d be pretty cool.”

— Markiplier, in a YouTube livestream after opening weekend, as quoted by NBC News, February 2026

He told the BBC the result was a win for YouTubers, because the more it happens, the more normal it becomes.

Why did Markiplier keep control of Iron Lung?

“It never really appealed to me as soon as I started seeing what those [distribution] deals were like on paper: the terms and shares of responsibilities and the things you have to let go of.”

— Markiplier, TheWrap, February 2026

He told TheWrap he could pay for the production himself and release it only when it was good enough, while acknowledging that most people can’t self-finance without severe sacrifice.

“Traditional deals often require you to surrender creative control, which is at odds with what I know the future of creation to be.”

— Markiplier, YouTube Official Blog, February 2026

Asked what a studio would have tried to fix, he said probably the whole movie, especially the slow opening, which exists to make you feel the character’s monotony and loneliness.

You don’t need a film to use this. Before you sign anything, list what you’d give up, such as the edit, the release date or the rights, and decide what you won’t trade.

What does Markiplier say about burnout?

“In my YouTube journey, I haven’t taken weekends off or really gone on that many vacations in the entirety of my 13+ years on YouTube, and that’s just because I have an addiction to making things. A crippling, actually unhealthy addiction.”

— Markiplier, TheWrap, February 2026

He told TheWrap he was drained by the end of Iron Lung, and that he didn’t know if anyone should take his advice on this.

“YouTube is about putting yourself out there on the internet, but you eventually run out of ‘self’ to give.”

— Markiplier, YouTube Official Blog, February 2026

In May 2026, at a panel in Cannes, he joked that he wouldn’t make another feature for “at least one year,” so he could spend time with his wife, Deadline reported. Our Ninja interview covers a streamer who says the hours cost him sleep and time with his wife.

He also told TheWrap he sees value in pushing yourself to an extreme for a creative project. Take the honesty, not the schedule: if you choose a crunch, plan the break that follows it before you start.

What mistakes does Markiplier say he made?

“I’d talk to my younger self and I’d say: ‘Open yourself up to the skills of those around you at a much earlier age and you will be better off.’”

— Markiplier, BBC Newsbeat, February 2026

He told the BBC he had come a long way from his “solo guy” approach. Months later he went further.

“I am willing to let things be controlled because honestly, looking back, I did too much myself.”

— Markiplier, IndieWire, June 2026

Doing everything yourself is how most channels start. His point is that it becomes a ceiling, so hand off one job you don’t need to own, such as thumbnails or sound.

What advice does Markiplier give new creators?

“I would say, start building that audience. Start putting clips of your process on YouTube and start promoting it.”

— Markiplier, TheWrap, February 2026

He was talking to less experienced filmmakers, and added that cameras and lenses are more accessible than ever.

“The replicable part is realizing theaters just want butts in seats. When I had a thousand subscribers, I went to Comic-Con and exactly four people said hi — I counted them. A small movie theater is only 50 seats. You can build things of scale without needing to sell out 4,000 screens.”

— Markiplier, YouTube Official Blog, February 2026

“Just enjoy it and be yourself … At the end of the day if you are not authentic and who you are, that is going to come out someday.”

— Markiplier, WCPO, June 2019

His advice scales down well: document the process, build a small audience that cares, and size the project to that audience. Fifty seats you can fill beats 4,000 you can’t.

What does Markiplier say about working with brands?

“I let the lawyers think about that … I feel like turning everything into a business venture poisons creativity.”

— Markiplier, Variety, May 2021

He was explaining to Variety why he doesn’t weigh the business prospects of new projects, the week his podcast Distractible reached No. 1 on Spotify’s US podcast chart, within days of its debut. He co-founded the clothing brand Cloak with fellow YouTuber Jacksepticeye in 2018, Complex reported, and in 2023 signed an exclusive video podcast partnership with Spotify.

In August 2026, Bloomberg reported that he had become GoPro’s largest single shareholder, with an 8.5% stake. An SEC filing dated August 20 showed a passive stake of about 13.5 million shares, Tubefilter reported.

“I saw the stock and where it was, I was like that seems undervalued … It’s just something I’ve been cooking in the background; I want the company to succeed.”

— Markiplier, to Bloomberg, as quoted by Tubefilter, August 2026

Shortly before the news, he posted a video praising GoPro’s new Mission 1 Pro ILS camera that included an affiliate discount code but didn’t mention the stake, Gizmodo and Net Influencer reported. Marques Brownlee shared a still from the video on Threads with the comment “This is not a line I see crossed very often, but to each their own,” Net Influencer reported. In a later livestream, Fischbach said he had started buying the stock months earlier, and that the required SEC filing, a process he began on July 23, was filed on August 20, RedShark News reported.

If you’re a creator, disclose any financial interest in a product you review, not just sponsorships and affiliate links; our guide to disclosing affiliate links and sponsorships covers the basics. If you’re a brand, our guide on how to vet a YouTube creator lists the questions to ask.

What is Markiplier working on now?

Iron Lung went on sale exclusively on YouTube on May 31, 2026, a release he announced at Cannes, Deadline reported. To get it there, he asked YouTube to make him an aggregator, an approved middleman that lists films for sale, so he could bring other people’s films onto the platform too.

“I can incorporate some change right now … But down the road I would like to fight to build a system where anybody could do it.”

— Markiplier, in a livestream, as quoted by Tubefilter, April 2026

By August, Tubefilter reported, he had become an official YouTube aggregator. He told IndieWire in June, after receiving a VidCon Hall of Fame award, that he was playing matchmaker between studios and creator friends who want to direct, and that he wants to build his own post-production house. He said he hadn’t chosen his next project.

GoPro, meanwhile, announced on September 1, 2026, that it would merge with Starman Optical in a $285 million deal that would leave original shareholders with about 10% of the combined company, RedShark News reported. The deal was expected to close at the end of the year, subject to approvals.

What creators can learn from Markiplier

Sources

• Markiplier: YouTube Video Gamer Makes Play to Expand Scope, Variety, June 2016
• Exclusive: Markiplier and jacksepticeye Announce CLOAK, a Clothing Brand for Gamers, Complex, October 2018
• How a shy Cincinnati kid became YouTube star Markiplier, WCPO, June 2019
• YouTube’s Interactive Special With Markiplier Has 31 Possible Endings, Variety, October 2019
• Markiplier Talks About His New Podcast ‘Distractible,’ Which Shot to No. 1 on the Charts to Top Joe Rogan on Spotify, Variety, May 2021
• Markiplier Launches Interactive Sci-Fi Adventure ‘In Space,’ Part of YouTube’s Scaled-Back Originals Slate, Variety, April 2022
• The rise of Markiplier: The gaming YouTube superstar whose fans crashed OnlyFans but says the media purposely ignore him, Business Insider, December 2022
• YouTube Gaming Star Markiplier Signs Exclusive Video Podcast Partnership with Spotify, Variety, March 2023
• Markiplier To Star In & Direct Horror Film ‘Iron Lung’ From His Own Script, Deadline, April 2023
• Markiplier on breathing life into ‘Iron Lung’, Tubefilter, January 2026
• How a YouTuber’s self-financed horror film became a surprise hit, NBC News, February 2026
• How Markiplier and ‘Iron Lung’ Turned the Box Office Upside Down, TheWrap, February 2026
• YouTube star Markiplier says film’s success is ‘win’ for independent creators, BBC Newsbeat, February 2026
• ‘No one has seen the secrets I’ve hidden’: Markiplier on his hit film Iron Lung, YouTube Official Blog, February 2026
• Iron Lung made $50M. Should be easy for Markiplier to put it up for sale on YouTube, right?, Tubefilter, April 2026
• Markiplier’s ‘Iron Lung’ Set For May 31 Debut On YouTube, Deadline, May 2026
• Markiplier on Hollywood, YouTube, and Why Loyalty Can’t Be Bought, IndieWire, June 2026
• Markiplier thinks GoPro’s new $699 camera is the key to accessible filmmaking, Tubefilter, August 2026
• GoPro Shares Skyrocket After YouTuber Markiplier Becomes Biggest Shareholder, Gizmodo, August 2026
• YouTuber Markiplier Becomes GoPro’s Largest Shareholder With 8.5% Stake, Net Influencer, September 2026
• GoPro-Starman Optical: more takeover than merger, RedShark News, September 2026
• Iron Lung (2026), The Numbers, October 2026
• Markiplier, Wikipedia, October 2026

What to do next

If Markiplier’s test, whether viewers will follow you somewhere new, changes how you judge creators, look at what their audiences actually do rather than at subscriber counts alone. Our methodology explains how we check that, and our creator lists put it into practice.

For answers to the same questions from other creators, browse more creator interviews, starting with our Jacksepticeye interview: the two co-founded the clothing brand Cloak in 2018.