But even with those accomplishments, what he’s achieved with Iron Lung is the kind of creative success story most independent artists can only dream of. Fischbach has long explored other such efforts alongside his usual fare; he has launched a clothing line, hosted podcasts, and made interactive, choose-your-own-adventure-style series, also published on YouTube. Fischbach announced in 2023 that he was making his first theatrical film: an adaptation of the video game Iron Lung, which he would write, direct, and star in. He would also be financing, producing, and distributing the project himself, outside of any typical Hollywood structure. Iron Lung was shot over 35 days that spring; it took years to release partly because Fischbach edited it himself, then declined to make a deal with any traditional distributor. Instead, he spent months booking theaters privately, encouraging his fans to reserve tickets online. When prospective viewers realized the film wasn’t screening in their city, they started calling local cinemas to complain. By the end of this grassroots effort, Iron Lung was booked on more than 3,000 screens in North America.