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Naomi de SouzaBBC Newsbeat
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Iron Lung is financed, written and directed by YouTube megastar Markiplier
"We knew we were going to need lots of blood," says YouTuber Markiplier as he reflects on his new debut film, Iron Lung.
This is not the most shocking admission considering the sci-fi thriller is set against the backdrop of an ocean of human blood – but what has been a surprise is its dramatic box office success.
It hauled in $17.8m (£13m) at the US domestic box office on its opening weekend, outperforming a documentary about US First Lady Melania Trump which brought in around $7m on the same weekend, according to Box Office Mojo figures.
The project, which is based on indie video game, has gone on to make $43.5m (£31.8m) worldwide so far.
Internet heavyweight Markiplier, whose real name is Mark Edward Fischbach, financed, wrote, directed and starred in the indie-horror.
He tells BBC Newsbeat he has been "soaking up" the film's explosion in popularity.
Speaking from LA, Fischbach says the film is a "win" for YouTubers.
"My screen time has been exponential these past couple of weeks because I just love seeing people reacting to it," the 36-year-old says.
"I kind of expected it [to do well] just because I figured that it would," he says.
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The Youtuber addresses fans at the LA premiere of his horrror movie Iron Lung
Iron Lung is based on a game of the same name, created by David Szymanski, which follows a lone convict called Simon, played by Fischbach.
Simon explores a blood ocean in a cramped submarine, called the Iron Lung, to search for missing stars and planets.
To people outside of the horror-gaming community, the film's financial success appears to have come out of nowhere, but not for the YouTuber's 38 million subscribers.
Longtime Markiplier fan Craig Fitzpatrick was at Iron Lung's opening weekend last month.
"Within 10 minutes of the movie, I was like: 'Oh, this is serious, this isn't just a Markiplier video that's on the big screen'," the 29-year-old from Cardiff tells Newsbeat.
"This is a genuine, legit movie that you can see has had a lot of work and a lot of passion put into it."
Fitzpatrick, who reviews movies on TikTok, says there "wasn't a spare seat" at his screening.
Craig Fitzpatrick
Longtime Markiplier fan Craig Fitzpatrick was at Iron Lung's opening weekend last month
Yet despite Iron Lung's box office haul, the film has got a 61% score on review site Rotten Tomatoes, and has received mixed feedback, including two-star ratings from Empire and The Guardian.
"This movie that isn't going to be for everyone but, personally, I think that's way more of a compliment than it is an insult," says Fitzpatrick.
Fischbach says he worked "very closely" with game developer Szymanski on the production process.
"It was his universe that I was playing in, so I wanted to make sure that it was going to respect that," he says.
However, he also wanted to ensure the production was well-curated and wanted to do things physically, rather than digitally in editing, as much as possible.
Fischbach tells Newsbeat the project had more fake blood than has ever been used on a film production, which sparked blood donations across the US – something he says was his "intention."
Filmgoers have been queueing up outside donation trucks parked outside screenings which has resulted in "constantly full" donation sessions.
But things might not have turned out this way.
It was initially suggested that Iron Lung would screen in three theatres, but when Fischbach announced that tickets were on sale, his fan base began contacting cinemas across the US.
"All these theatres were inundated with emails and phone calls and people showing up physically," he recalls.
"That was enough for them to see, combined with other theatres selling out that, 'Hey, if they're booking theatres or booking seats, I want to make money too'."
US movie chains Cinemark, Regal Cinemas and AMC Theatres then jumped on board.
"That's when things really start to explode," Fischbach says.
"It is a win for YouTubers because it's like, the more that this happens the more normalised it becomes," he explains.
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Mark "Markiplier" Fischbach stars alongside actor Troy Baker in the indie horror
But how feasible is this?
Fischbach is hardly a newcomer to the industry – he's built a platform over 14 years and has a captive audience in his legions of fans.
There are a number of programmes aimed at tackling historical barriers to the film industry.
Last week, the British Film Institute (BFI) hosted more than 200 young people and educators at London's Southbank for a careers event aimed at connecting them with industry professionals and tackling the "imposter syndrome" that some might feel.
And for TikToker Fitzpatrick, he still sees Iron Lung as an aspirational example.
"Not everyone has 30 plus million subscribers on YouTube but I do think that it is something that is very inspiring towards current filmmakers or actors who want to get something they've made out there," he says.
So what next for Markiplier?
"The next project might not be horror, just so people don't get this expectation that that's the only thing I'm going to do," he says.
He plans to "lean in" to his comedy and drama side, and feels he has come a long way from his "solo guy" approach.
"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'," he adds.
"But, you know, ego and all that."
