I didn't think this was possible

Markiplier| 00:09:20|Mar 24, 2026

Chapters8

A peek at the set and the Nakmo rig, explaining the on set setup and the feel of the production.

Markiplier shares a candid, behind-the-scenes look at Iron Lung’s theatrical journey, from the quirky set details to the surprise leap into cinemas.

Summary

Markiplier’s behind-the-scenes clip offers a rare peek into Iron Lung’s production and release path. He introduces the Nakmo (Nick Mo) as the key on-set machine and jokes about the crew’s camaraderie, painting a vivid, almost tactile picture of the set. The video then pivots to a triumphant release update: starting with around 60 theaters, the count has ballooned to 1,578, with major chains like Regal, Cinear, and AMC now on board. Markiplier reflects on the personal milestone of bringing the project to his hometown of Guam and his home theater, Esquire, while acknowledging the hard work and impostor syndrome he felt at the premiere. He emphasizes the humanity behind the numbers, reminding viewers that “re real people buying the numbers” deserve respect and accountability. The mood shifts to gratitude and anticipation, as he plans international rights conversations and the practical excitement of theater merch (popcorn buckets, cardboard cutouts) that make the release feel tangible. Throughout, he contrasts the long, painstaking process with YouTube’s fast, satisfying cycle of creation, noting how the project has reshaped his priorities. Markiplier closes with optimism about future videos and, hopefully, another movie, underscoring his love for making things and sharing them with fans.

Key Takeaways

The production used a set called the Nakmo (Nick Mo) as the main driving element on set, described humorously by Markiplier.
The theatrical reach expanded from ~60 theaters to 1,578, with Regal, Cinear, and AMC now carrying Iron Lung in the U.S.
Markiplier experienced impostor syndrome at the premiere, realizing the project had grown far beyond his initial expectations.
He emphasizes accountability and respect for the real people behind view counts, highlighting the importance of the human side of the numbers.
He plans to participate in international rights talks and acknowledges the desire to engage with fans in person at theaters, despite logistical limits.
There’s a strong personal tie to the release, with mentions of Guam, the Esquire theater, and Milford (Cincinnati) as notable locales.
The video underscores the tension between a long production timeline and Markiplier’s love for the fast pace of YouTube content creation.

Who Is This For?

Fans of Markiplier and indie game cinema who want an authentic, behind-the-scenes account of a game-to-film release and the emotional journey behind a major theatrical rollout.

Notable Quotes

""I want to show you something. I've been talking about it for a while, but I don't think I've ever shared footage of it.""

—Opening teaser that sets the behind-the-scenes tone.

""Now we're up to 1,578, which, um, is I mean, I don't even know.""

—Reveals the explosive growth in theater count.

""Regal has picked it up, Cinear has picked it up, AMC has picked it up.""

—Highlights major theater chain involvement.

""I've said for years... that there's re real people buying the numbers... you have to understand the number of lives that people live outside of this internet sphere.""

—Stresses accountability and humanity behind metrics.

""Thank you everybody so much for watching and thank you all to those who will watch the movie.""

—Expresses gratitude and forward-looking sentiment.

Questions This Video Answers

How did Iron Lung finally secure a theatrical release with major chains like Regal and AMC?
What is Nakmo (Nick Mo) and who is Nick Mo on Markiplier's Iron Lung set?
Why did Markiplier feel impostor syndrome at the Iron Lung premiere?
Which theaters are showing Iron Lung and where can I find showtimes near me?
What does Markiplier mean by ‘the fast cycle of making things’ on YouTube vs. film releases?

Iron LungMarkiplier behind the scenesNakmo (Nick Mo)Theatrical release of indie gamesIndie movie theater distributionImpostor syndromeGuam hometown releaseEsquire TheatreInternational rights talks

Full Transcript

I want to show you something. I've been talking about it for a while, but I don't think I've ever shared footage of it. And and this is a little behind the scenes of Iron Lung, so it's not spoilery, but it's kind of it's peering behind the curtain a little bit. Uh, so what you're seeing in front of you is the set. It's it's kind of hard to wrap your head around because you don't really know what you're looking at. It's a big it's like a house being thrown around, which is basically what this thing is. But this is the Nakmo. This is uh the thing that we used throughout production. Uh driven by this guy over here. Uh we call it Nick Mo. Really fun to work with. Um well, pretty much everyone on set was really fun to work with. I could sing their praises for a very long time. And I probably will if if you listen to this clip. Hold on. [music] Wow. It's hard to even put into words what this is like. We started with around 60 theaters, I think, actually. Um, and that rose fairly quickly. Uh, but 60 was the start. And now we're up to 1,578, which, um, is I mean, I don't even know. [clears throat] I'm in Guam. I'm in Guam after so many years of working on this and always having in my mind that I'm like, I'm going to bring it to theaters. I am going to bring it to theaters because I believe it deserves to be in theaters. And I didn't think that it was going to be a lot of theaters, but I was going to bring it to theaters no matter what. Um, and now, uh, Regal has picked it up, Cinear has picked it up, AMC has picked it up. Um, pretty much every major movie chain that you know of in the United States has picked it up. I'm I'm very grateful that it's now on like it's uh it's wild. Oh yeah. [snorts] Yeah. It's It's been so hard. It's been so hard to juggle all of this for so long. [laughter] I just never expected something like this. [sighs] [gasps] you know, we did a premiere and I guess I got some kind of imposttor syndrome or something cuz after it all the other YouTubers and streamers that we invited, they came up to me and they said how cool it was, how impressed they were. I just, you know, so easy to get lost in the sauce when you're when you're three years into a project and [laughter] you you've only had your reputation and your word to go on and you and you believed me. That means a lot. I've said for years, for my entire time doing this YouTube thing, that there's re real people buying the numbers that that it's a it's a real thing and and you have to always treat that with respect and you have to understand the number of lives that people live outside of this internet sphere. Oh man. And now it's playing in my hometown. And I I am now I know for sure that this map is not complete. It does not have all of the theaters that are available because I know that there's a showing in Milford, which is the uh it's a town in Cincinnati where I grew up. And yeah, it's just [snorts] been really cool. The Esquire is just a beautiful place and it's uh I go to it's good tears by I swear I've just had a lot of I've just had a lot of myself put into this. A lot of myself I'm very happy. I'm very very happy and motivated to keep making things. I just have this desire to make things. And the hardest part, I think, is because of how long this one took is I haven't been able to really make things. That's why I keep saying I can't wait to get back to just doing YouTube stuff because I am addicted to that cycle of making things and YouTube is such a fast cycle of making things. It's it's instantaneous almost. Even this video, I I didn't I didn't know that I was going to make a vlog yesterday, but when I woke up this morning, I knew I had to. Oh, sorry. am I'm just really really happy and I'm really really grateful and I'm going to have a call later today about international stuff which [snorts] [laughter] they did they asked me they asked me if I had international rights to the movie and I had to text David the developer of the game [laughter] hey do I have international rights It's cuz I [laughter] didn't know. [snorts and laughter] Oh man. Oh man. Thank you everybody so much for watching and thank you all to those who will watch the movie. Uh if you haven't been or haven't checked in a little bit, go to ironlong.com. Link is in the description to see if there is a theater near you. But remember those indie theaters, the independent ones, they were the OGs. They sold out really fast. Um, but if there is any spots that open up in those theaters, you'll know you'll be in good company cuz those are the those are the dieh hard fans. And maybe that maybe that's not your cup of tea to be amongst. So pick pick your poison. You know what I mean? But I I respect that. I will be showing up to some of these these theaters myself. I [snorts] mean, I I can only do so many because literally taking the time to go to them would be a lot, but I do plan on going to some of these theaters and meeting some of you guys there. And uh yeah. Yeah, that'll be pretty cool. I want to get cardboard cutouts. I said I know I said I was going to say goodbye, but there was so many things now that I I didn't think were possible, so they weren't even conversation. And now it's like, oh, it's really happening. It's really a thing. I want popcorn buckets. I want I want a big fish gulp. You know the the drink cup with big, you know, I want teeth. I want a I want a blood bucket of popcorn. I want I just didn't think it was possible. You guys proved me wrong. Anyway, I thank you. Thank you everybody so much for watching. Can't wait for you to see it. [sighs and gasps] And as always, I'll see you in the next video. In the next movie. I mean, hopefully there's a video in between this and the movie. Anyway, bye-bye.