Send Help vs. Iron Lung Is Exactly The Box Office Battle We Needed

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Although there was a lot of pre-release buzz about Amazon’s Melania documentary, the competition for the number one spot at the box office this weekend ultimately came down to two new movies. One was the latest film from Sam Raimi, starring Rachel McAdams as an overlooked worker and Dylan O’Brien as her privileged boss. They’re stranded together on a deserted island after a plane crash. The other was a horror film adapted from a video game, written, directed, starring, and edited by Mark Fischbach, better known as the YouTuber Markiplier.

Domestically, the box office battle between Send Help and Iron Lung was tight, with Send Help earning $20 million compared to Iron Lung‘s $17.8 million, according to Deadline. Though final numbers for Send Help might come down slightly, internationally, Send Help had a clearer win at $28.1 million versus $21.7 million. This difference was expected, as Iron Lung had a smaller international release. Ultimately, both films performed well, and their competition is a win for movie fans.

Send Help & Iron Lung Are Two Different Reasons To Have Hope For Movies

The movie business has been struggling recently, especially cinemas. A big concern is figuring out what will actually get people to go out and see a film. Because it’s been hard to predict what audiences want, studios are increasingly relying on familiar stories and franchises to ensure a return on their investment. While this approach can be financially safe, the resulting movies aren’t always the most original or exciting.

Original movies—those not part of big, established franchises—often feel like they’re carrying the weight of an entire genre on their shoulders, even though they aren’t necessarily meant to. This is why those of us who really care about film can get so anxious about a movie’s success. There’s a fear that if one doesn’t do well, studios might stop making that type of movie for theatrical release altogether.

The success of Send Help is really promising. It’s a unique, mature-themed horror movie made by a well-known director with a reasonable budget, and it’s being promoted with its actors’ names. This is exactly the kind of film we need more of. While horror movies are often seen as a safe bet because they can be made inexpensively, films like Weapons and Sinners proved that investing more money can pay off. After the well-received 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple didn’t perform as well despite a $63 million budget, Send Help‘s strong start with a $40 million budget is a great sign.

Unlike many films, Iron Lung wasn’t backed or released by major studios. Markiplier personally financed the project and, instead of working with Hollywood or traditional theaters, he used an independent agency to book showings. He then depended on his dedicated YouTube fanbase to request the film at their local cinemas.

When people started calling their local cinemas to buy tickets in advance, more and more theaters decided to show Iron Lung. The film began with showings in just 60 theaters, but quickly expanded to over 3000. Remarkably, the movie, which cost $3 million to make, earned over $21 million in its opening weekend. The theaters kept half of the earnings, while the filmmaker received the other half.

It’s not easy to achieve this, but there’s a valuable takeaway: if you create a dedicated audience, success will follow. Since theaters are constantly asking Hollywood for more – and more diverse – movies, it’s crucial for the industry to recognize that this kind of result is possible.

Even though Melania has been getting a lot of attention in the news, it was still a fantastic week for films. Hopefully, these successes will inspire others to do great things too.

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2026-02-02 22:28