Horror Game Adaptation ‘Iron Lung’ Passes Box-Office Milestone of ‘Super Mario Bros.’

Casual moviegoers might not recognize the movie Iron Lung or recognize the YouTube personality Markiplier, aka Mark Fischbach, but the video game movie that just landed in theaters last weekend is nothing short of revolutionary for what it’s managed to pull off. With a reported budget of $3 million and having filmed at Robert Rodriguez’s Troublemaker Studios, Fischbach wrote, directed, and stars in the movie, which was originally slated to only open in select markets. A grassroots campaign led to the movie earning a wide release on thousands of screens across the world, and in just a week, Iron Lung has surpassed the domestic run of 1993’s Super Mario Bros.

In the 30 years since Super Mario Bros. hit theaters, a lot has changed in Hollywood, so while there are a number of factors to consider when comparing the two titles, it’s hard to diminish the cultural impact of the Super Mario video game series when that first movie debuted. The title was – and, arguably, still is – the most recognizable mascot for video games, though even with a built-in video game audience, that first attempt at adapting the title failed to make a major impression on audiences. For an indie horror movie based on an indie horror game made by a relatively unknown filmmaker (to mainstream moviegoers, at least) to gross $24.5 million in a week vs. Super Mario Bros. taking in $20.8 million in its entire domestic run, it’s impressive what Iron Lung has pulled off.

It’s worth noting, of course, that the more recent attempt at adapting the Nintendo property with 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie was a bit more successful, scoring $1.3 billion worldwide. We don’t see Iron Lung ever coming close to that number, but that animated title also cost $100 million. Currently, both titles have earned roughly ten times their production budgets.

What’s the Story Behind ‘Iron Lung’?

Released in 2022, the Iron Lung video game is a minimalist and horrifying experience in which a player controls an unnamed convict who is inside a tiny submarine underwater on a distant moon. With no viewing ports, a player must use the submarine’s rudimentary navigational systems to explore their surroundings, ultimately discovering bizarre artifacts that build towards a frightening and otherworldly revelation.

Markiplier first streamed himself playing the game back in 2023, to which he claimed he would adapt into a feature, with the minimalist concept of the game leading some to doubt such an adaptation would happen. The filmmaker, who collaborated with video game creator David Szymanski, brought the project to life with a crew as minimal as the game itself. Even with a virtually non-existent marketing campaign by traditional standards, audiences have shown up in a major way to the horror adventure.

‘Iron Lung’ Surpasses Another ‘Super Mario Bros.’ Metric

John Leguizamo and Bob Hoskins in ‘Super Mario Bros.’

Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

Super Mario Bros. had a worldwide haul of $38.9 million, so we won’t be surprised if Iron Lung manages to pass that number as well. Another arena in which the recent adaptation fared better is with critics, as Iron Lung has a 54% positive score on Rotten Tomatoes compared to Super Mario Bros. scoring 27% positive. The audience scores tell a similar story, as Iron Lung has an 89% audience score, while the Nintendo movie has a 30% score.

Even with all of the disappointing metrics connected to the 1993 movie, which starred Bob Hoskins as Mario, John Leguizamo as Luigi, and Dennis Hopper as President “King” Koopa, it’s still notable for being the first of its kind, paving the way for subsequent ’90s titles like Double Dragon, Street Fighter, and Mortal Kombat. The film’s shortcomings also confirmed that it would take more than a recognizable title to win over audiences, helping the 2023 Super Mario and last year’s A Minecraft Movie to become tremendous, billion-dollar successes, thanks to what filmmakers took away from the 1993 movie’s shortcomings. In 2024, Super Mario Bros. even got an all-new 4K restoration for a home video release, proving there’s still a cult following for the flop.