In a surprising turn of events at the box office, a self-financed horror film created by a popular YouTube personality has dramatically outperformed a high-profile documentary about former First Lady Melania Trump. The unexpected success story highlights the growing power of independent creators in the film industry.
An Unexpected Box Office Victor
The documentary Melania, which chronicles the life of the former First Lady, might have exceeded initial predictions on its opening day by grossing $2.9 million from 1,778 cinemas. However, this performance represents a significant disappointment considering Amazon reportedly paid $70 million to acquire and distribute the film. The documentary failed to crack the top 15 at the UK box office despite being released simultaneously in both the UK and US markets.
Markiplier's Independent Triumph
Meanwhile, Iron Lung, a horror film directed by Mark Fischbach (better known as the YouTube sensation Markiplier), has emerged as the true box office success story. Made for just $3 million, the film has already grossed an impressive $21 million to date. Originally intended for a limited release in just 60 US theatres, overwhelming fan demand prompted international distribution, with the film now showing in more than 4,000 theatres across the UK, Australia and New Zealand.
In a live stream addressing the film's unexpected commercial triumph, Markiplier expressed that he doesn't "give a s*** about the numbers" but hopes the film's success will enable him to bring it to festivals worldwide. The film's premise is equally distinctive: set in the aftermath of the Quiet Rapture event where multiple star systems and planets vanish without warning, it follows convict Simon as he pilots a submarine through a moon's ocean of blood.
Critical Reception Versus Audience Response
The critical reception for both films reveals a fascinating divergence between professional reviewers and general audiences. Iron Lung has accumulated a modest 44 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes from critics, but enjoys a much stronger 89 percent audience score. Similarly, Melania has received overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics, achieving a mere six percent on the platform, while positive audience reviews have pushed its audience score to 99 percent – potentially reflecting political support for Trump.
Industry Implications
Remarkably, Iron Lung also outperformed Sam Raimi's new horror comedy Send Help, which stars established Hollywood actors Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien. This demonstrates that independent productions with modest budgets can compete effectively against both high-profile documentaries and mainstream studio releases.
In his one-star review for The Independent, critic Nick Hilton described Melania as "transparently not a documentary" and suggested it exists "somewhere between reality TV and pure fiction." He noted that Melania Trump spends most scenes playing "a staged version of herself" with shots composed with deliberate cinematic artifice.
The contrasting fortunes of these two films underscore shifting audience preferences and the evolving landscape of film production and distribution. While traditional high-budget documentaries struggle to recoup investments, independently financed projects from digital creators are finding substantial commercial success through direct audience engagement and innovative distribution strategies.
