Entertainment
New Sci-Fi Movie Explores An Alien Moon, Submerged In 80,000 Gallons Of Blood
By Chris Sawin
| Published
After the Quiet Rapture wiped out stars and entire planets, only those on space stations and starships survived. As humanity expanded into space, it neglected the value of what it already had.
The Consolidation of Iron (C.O.I.) now controls what remains of civilization. Criminals have the opportunity to repay their crimes by partaking in obligatory service regarded as useful to the collective. One such convict (Markiplier) is welded inside of an experimental submarine and forced to explore an ocean of human blood on an uninhabitable moon. His mission is to retrieve a sample from a strange skeleton on the ocean floor. Unfortunately for him, he’s not alone.
The Origins Of Iron Lung
Iron Lung is based on a submarine simulation horror game from 2022, developed and published by David Szymanski. YouTuber Mark Fischbach, aka Markiplier, known for his “Let’s Play” videos of indie horror games, writes, directs, edits, executive produces, and stars in the film adaptation. The film was self-financed by Markiplier and released to over 4,100 theaters with no official distributor. Iron Lung is a film fueled by Markiplier’s YouTube popularity and fan anticipation.
Markiplier has starred in interactive YouTube films like A Heist with Markiplier and In Space with Markiplier, but Iron Lung is his first full-length theatrical film. Unlike other single-character films such as Moon, Buried, and Gravity, Iron Lung struggles with pacing; its two-hour runtime mostly trudges along, with hallucinations and vulgar ramblings being the only payoff until the bloody floodgates open during the last half hour.
Slow Pacing Until A Last Minute Blood Deluge
The film utilizes 80,000 gallons of fake blood, beating The Evil Dead (2013) for most used in a horror film, but, aside from one hallucination, Iron Lung doesn’t use it until the final moments. The pacing drags, but the film thrives on Markiplier’s constant vulgarities, thrashing inside a rusted sardine can, breaking equipment, scribbling maps, and getting tossed around.
Iron Lung dips into body horror late; the ever-present sea creature adds tension, and a standout hallucination design is glimpsed for only five seconds. Still, it feels like it takes forever to reach those moments.
Markiplier’s performance is decent enough to keep the film interesting. His character is going through it as he experiences panic and anxiety attacks, is freaking out at the thought of dying in an ocean of blood or being eaten by what looks like a giant, blood-swimming moon fish with sharp teeth, and gets injured so often that his head injuries make reality and imagination one and the same. His performance reeks of desperation and proving to everyone that he didn’t destroy Filament Station, the crime for which he went to prison.
Markiplier’s portrayal of anger, fear, and confusion is all top tier, but he comes up short when it comes to crying. The sorrow is there on his face and in his line delivery, but the tears never come.
Inventive Cinematography And Limited Lighting
Cinematography in Iron Lung, by Philip Roy, features inventive elements. The perspective inside the bag, as the convict (his name is revealed later) examines instructions on operating the sub, is a notable shot. The film frequently conveys the confined space as more complex than it appears.
Blood and condensation dripping down the sub’s interior evoke the image of an expired organ reviving. However, the introduction of blood impacts the clarity of the camera work. Limited lighting and unstable camera movements make distinguishing events in the final scenes of excessive blood difficult.
Inescapable, Claustrophobic Confinement Hinting At The Unknown
As a first-time filmmaker, Markiplier shows significant potential, especially in the horror genre. Iron Lung’s strongest asset is its sense of inescapable, claustrophobic confinement, with hints of the unknown swimming in human blood and pounding on the hollow walls as a conflicted helmsman is legitimately trapped inside.
The film’s slow burn wouldn’t feel so staggering if it built to something wholly worthwhile. The blood, hallucinations, and sea creature are all great, but they’re too fleeting to make a lasting impact. Iron Lung promises something grand and cosmic, but its climactic reveal is abrupt, with few scares and only a brief glimpse of the monster. Ultimately, it’s two hours of tension that end in a bloody yet unsatisfying climax.
Entertainment
Sam Altman unloads on Elon Musk in latest X posts
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has sharply escalated his long-running feud with Elon Musk, responding to newly filed court documents and recent public comments with a series of posts on X, tracking their ongoing legal and business disputes.
This latest round of the feud began after court filings in Musk’s lawsuits against OpenAI and Apple became public. Jason Kwon, OpenAI’s chief strategy officer, wrote that Musk and his AI company, xAI, produced almost no substantive internal documents during discovery, allegedly relying instead on disappearing messages.
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Altman reposted those claims, along with what has become a Musk catchphrase: “Concerning!”
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Screenshots of the filings posted online by Kwon appeared to support OpenAI’s argument that key communications were not preserved.
Altman didn’t stop there. He followed up with a more direct jab, writing that he was “really excited to get Elon under oath in a few months.” He called the prospect “Christmas in April.”
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Altman and Musk are involved in several lawsuits challenging OpenAI’s governance changes, including its restructuring from a nonprofit into a for-profit business. Musk has argued those moves betray OpenAI’s original mission, while OpenAI has called Musk’s suits frivolous.
Early last year, Musk led a $97 billion bid to acquire OpenAI, which Altman publicly rejected.
The posts build on years of tension over OpenAI’s direction. Just two weeks ago, Altman was pushing back against Musk on X due to the latter’s claim that ChatGPT posed a mental health risk to users. Altman noted Musk’s criticism was inconsistent, and explained the difficulty of balancing safety with access for a massive user base.
In the same exchange, Altman pointed to Tesla’s autopilot safety record as an example of Musk’s own company facing public scrutiny.
Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.
Entertainment
Hinge tests facial recognition scans in these countries
The dating app Hinge is testing the facial recognition feature Face Check in a number of countries this quarter. That’s according to its parent company, Match Group, which announced the test during its 2025 Q4 earnings call.
Tinder has required Face Check for all new U.S. users since October 2025, after making it mandatory for California users. By the end of this first quarter in 2026, Match Group expects Tinder to launch Face Check globally.
Where it has been rolled out, the company claims the face-checking feature has led to a more than 50 percent reduction in interactions with bad actors (accounts that engage in deceptive or harmful behaviors like spam and scam attempts).
Hinge says it will test the feature in Mexico, Brazil, Australia, and Canada this quarter. More details about the U.S. rollout of Face Check are coming soon, with testing beginning as early as next month, a spokesperson told Mashable.
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Hinge is also preparing to test Direct to Date, “which clarifies intent to accelerate IRL plans,” according to the Q4 2025 prepared remarks.
Hinge told Mashable that the app is exploring a new way to help daters start planning for a first date as soon as they match — including sharing their availability, as well as date activities they’re interested in. The test is planned for this spring.
Hinge continues to be the darling of Match Group’s array of apps, as shown by the Q4 results. Paying users and direct revenue increased again quarterly and yearly, while Tinder’s have decreased.
In December, Hinge founder Justin McLeod announced he was leaving Hinge to launch an AI dating service, which has yet to be unveiled.
Entertainment
Everything coming to Apple TV in 2026
There’s no doubt about it: 2026 is going to be jam-packed for Apple TV.
The streamer is hoping to keep up the momentum from its stellar 2025, which saw the premiere of acclaimed, award-winning shows like Pluribus and The Studio, not to mention the triumphant return of Severance. After all that TV goodness, what could possibly be next?
The answer? A lot! At its 2026 press day, Apple TV unveiled its entire slate of film and TV for the year, from new buzzy shows like Imperfect Women to more Ted Lasso. It’s a substantial list, and we’ve gathered it here in one place for your perusal. From potential new TV obsessions to films of all genres, here’s what’s coming to Apple TV in 2026, in chronological order.
Shrinking Season 3
Apple TV kicked off 2026 with one of its best shows, the currently airing Shrinking Season 3, which sees the continued misadventures of therapist Jimmy (Jason Segel) and his family, friends, and coworkers. Tune in for more life lessons and cathartic tears, and see why Mashable UK Editor Shannon Connellan wrote, “This show is so good it boggles my brain.”
Starring: Jason Segel, Harrison Ford, Christa Miller, Jessica Williams, Luke Tennie, Michael Urie, Lukita Maxwell, Ted McGinley, Brett Goldstein, Damon Wayans Jr., Wendie Malick, Cobie Smulders, Jeff Daniels, Candice Bergen, and Michael J. Fox
How to watch: Shrinking Season 3 is now streaming on Apple TV, with new episodes every Wednesday.
Eternity
OK, technically Eternity isn’t a new release, but it will be new to streaming on Apple TV. This winning romantic comedy imagines a love triangle in the afterlife, where the late Joan (Elizabeth Olsen) must choose between spending eternity with Larry (Miles Teller), her husband of over 60 years, or Luke (Callum Turner), her first husband who died at war before they truly had a life together. If that thought gives you an existential crisis, don’t worry: Eternity is as sweet and funny as it is contemplative and heartfelt. If you missed it in theaters, don’t miss it on streaming.
Starring: Miles Teller, Elizabeth Olsen, Callum Turner, John Early, Olga Merediz, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph
How to watch: Eternity hits Apple TV on Feb. 13.
The Last Thing He Told Me Season 2
Jennifer Garner-led thriller The Last Thing He Told Me is back for Season 2, beginning with the bombshell that Owen (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) has returned after five years on the run. Now, his wife Hannah (Garner) and daughter Bailey (Angourie Rice) are in a race to reunite their family before their complicated past catches up to them.
Starring: Jennifer Garner, Angourie Rice, David Morse, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Judy Greer, and Rita Wilson
How to watch: The Last Thing He Told Me Season 2 premieres Feb. 20 on Apple TV.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2
Here there be Titans! Apple TV’s MonsterVerse series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters returns with a vengeance for Season 2, which introduces a terrifying new beast: Titan X. An aquatic beast of immense power, Titan X has the potential to be the most destructive monster we’ve seen in the MonsterVerse. It’s so threatening, in fact, that the trailer suggests the only way to take it out is by unleashing both Godzilla and King Kong against it. You know what they say: Let them fight.
Starring: Kurt Russell, Wyatt Russell, Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto, Joe Tippett, Anders Holm, Takehiro Hira, Amber Midthunder, Curtiss Cook, Cliff Curtis, Dominique Tipper, and Camilo Jiménez Varón
How to watch: Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 premieres Feb. 27 on Apple TV.
Imperfect Women
Elisabeth Moss, Kerry Washington, and Kate Mara star in Imperfect Women, based on the novel by Araminta Hall. The three play decades-long friends Mary, Eleanor, and Nancy, whose lives are shattered when Nancy is murdered. As the investigation into her death plays out, dark secrets and betrayals come to life, testing the bonds of Mary and Eleanor’s friendship and other relationships. If you love Big Little Lies, this should be up your alley.
Starring: Elisabeth Moss, Kerry Washington, Kate Mara, Joel Kinnaman, Corey Stoll, Leslie Odom Jr., Audrey Zahn, Jill Wagner, Rome Flynn, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Violette Linnz, Indiana Elle, Jackson Kelly, Keith Carradine, Ana Ortiz, and Wilson Bethel
How to watch: Imperfect Women premieres on March 18 on Apple TV.
For All Mankind Season 5
Looking to scratch your sci-fi itch while several of Apple TV’s genre shows like Severance, Pluribus, Silo, and Foundation are between seasons? Look no farther than space drama For All Mankind, which imagines the continuation of the space race. In Season 5, tensions rise between the residents of Mars and Earth, setting the stage for a space showdown.
Starring: Joel Kinnaman, Toby Kebbell, Edi Gathegi, Cynthy Wu, Coral Peña, Wrenn Schmidt, Mirelle Enos, Costa Ronin, Sean Kaufman, Ruby Cruz, and Ines Asserson
How to watch: For All Mankind Season 5 premieres March 27 on Apple TV.
Your Friends and Neighbors Season 2
Jon Hamm is back to stealing in Your Friends and Neighbors Season 2. He plays disgraced hedge fund manager Andrew “Coop” Cooper, who’s doubling down on thieving from his wealthy suburban neighbors. However, a new neighbor threatens to expose him, creating new tension in Vestment Village (and maybe, just maybe, some new dance memes). And guess what? The show is already renewed for a Season 3.
Starring: Jon Hamm, James Marsden, Amanda Peet, Olivia Munn, Hoon Lee, Mark Tallman, Lena Hall, Aimee Carrero, Eunice Bae, Isabel Gravitt, and Donovan Colan
How to watch: Your Friends and Neighbors Season 2 premieres April 3 on Apple TV.
Outcome
Keanu Reeves in “Outcome.”
Credit: Apple TV
Keanu Reeves stars as a Hollywood star on the run from his past in dark comedy Outcome. Directed by Jonah Hill, the film sees actor Reef Hawk (Reeves) facing blackmail over a video that might ruin his career. He soon sets off down memory lane to try to help anyone he may have wronged — and hopefully find the blackmailer along the way.
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Cameron Diaz, Matt Bomer, Jonah Hill, Martin Scorsese, Susan Lucci, Laverne Cox, David Spade, Atsuko Okatsuka, Roy Wood Jr., Kaia Gerber, and Ivy Wolk
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How to watch: Outcome premieres April 10 on Apple TV.
Margo’s Got Money Troubles
Rufi Thorpe’s novel Margo’s Got Money Troubles hits the small screen in Apple TV’s adaptation from A24 and David E. Kelley (Big Little Lies). Elle Fanning stars as Margo, a single mother and aspiring writer in financial crisis. To solve her money troubles, Margo jumps on OnlyFans, where her alien alter ego finds great success. Nick Offerman and Michelle Pfeiffer star as Margo’s parents in what promises to be a heartwarming family dramedy.
Starring: Elle Fanning, Nick Offerman, Michelle Pfeiffer, Nicole Kidman, Marcia Gay Harden, Greg Kinnear, Michael Angarano, Rico Nasty, and Lindsey Normington
How to watch: Margo’s Got Money Troubles premieres April 15 on Apple TV.
Criminal Record Season 2
Peter Capaldi and Cush Jumbo in “Criminal Record.”
Credit: Apple TV
British crime drama Criminal Record is back, with Peter Capaldi and Cush Jumbo’s detectives likely set to clash again. This time around, June (Jumbo) witnesses a young man’s death when far-right protestors accost a political rally. Racked by guilt, she seeks to bring the man’s killer justice — but to do so, she’ll have to take a dangerous bargain from Daniel (Capaldi).
Starring: Peter Capaldi, Cush Jumbo
How to watch: Criminal Record Season 2 premieres April 22 on Apple TV.
Widow’s Bay
Matthew Rhys in “Widow’s Bay.”
Credit: Apple TV
Blending horror and comedy, Widow’s Bay transports viewers to its titular island town, 40 miles off the coast of New England. There, Mayor Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys) hopes to bring tourists to his struggling community. But when he does, there’s a big problem: It turns out that the local legends about the island being cursed may be true. Get ready for laughs and scares in equal measure.
Starring: Matthew Rhys, Kate O’Flynn, Stephen Root, Kingston Rumi Southwick, Kevin Carroll, and Dale Dickey
How to watch: Widow’s Bay premieres April 29 on Apple TV.
Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed
Tatiana Maslany in “Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed.”
Credit: Apple TV
Tatiana Maslany leads the new dark comedy Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed. She stars as newly divorced mom Paula, who’s convinced she witnessed a terrible crime. Her independent investigation takes her down a slippery slope of blackmail and murder, two things that are very inconvenient to be thinking about when you’re also dealing with a custody battle and an identity crisis. Will Paula crack the case and rediscover her sense of self-worth? And just how, exactly, does youth soccer fit into all this? Find out when you tune in, for what is hopefully a maximally pleasurable viewing experience.
Starring: Tatiana Maslany, Jake Johnson, Brandon Flynn, Murray Bartlett, Jessy Hodges, Jon Michael Hill, Charlie Hall, Kiarra Hamagami Goldberg, Nola Wallace, and Dolly De Leon
How to watch: Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed premieres May 20 on Apple TV.
Cape Fear
Amy Adams in “Cape Fear.”
Credit: Apple TV
Who’s ready for a remake? Apple TV reimagines Martin Scorsese’s 1991 film Cape Fear, itself a remake of the 1962 film of the same name. The series centers on married attorney couple Anna and Tom Bowden (Amy Adams and Patrick Wilson), who are about to face a vengeful reckoning from Max Cady (Javier Bardem), the killer they put behind bars. Will the series live up to its source material? Or, at the very least, The Simpsons‘ “Cape Feare” episode?
Starring: Amy Adams, Patrick Wilson, Javier Bardem, Joe Anders, Lily Collias, Malia Pyles, and Anna Baryshnikov
How to watch: Cape Fear premieres June 5 on Apple TV.
Sugar Season 2
Colin Farrell in “Sugar.”
Credit: Apple TV
Everyone’s favorite noir private detective who is also (spoiler alert!) secretly an alien is back! I’m speaking of none other than John Sugar (Colin Farrell). In Sugar Season 2, he’s on the trail of a new case, this time tracking the older brother of a local boxer. And while that mystery’s all well and good, I’m hoping Season 2 really gets into the sci-fi of it all, because again, and I cannot stress this enough, John Sugar is an alien. Explain, please!
Starring: Colin Farrell, Jin Ha, Raymond Lee, Tony Dalton, Laura Donnelly, Sasha Calle, and Shea Whigham
How to watch: Sugar Season 2 premieres June 19 on Apple TV.
Lucky
Anya Taylor-Joy enters heist mode in limited series Lucky, based on the 2021 novel of the same name by Marissa Stapley. Taylor-Joy plays Lucky Anderson, a con artist raised in a life of crime. When a multi-million-dollar heist goes awry, she’ll have to put up the fight of her life in order to escape the FBI agents and crime boss on her tail. Will she live up to her name, or will her luck finally run out?
Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Annette Bening, Timothy Olyphant, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Drew Starkey, Clifton Collins, Jr., and William Fichtner
How to watch: Lucky premieres July 15 on Apple TV.
The Dink
Mary Steenburgen and Jake Johnson in “The Dink.”
Credit: Apple TV
Pickleball takes center court in The Dink, a comedy film from Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar director Josh Greenbaum. Jake Johnson stars as washed-up tennis prodigy Dusty Boyd, who discovers the unthinkable: He loves pickleball, even though his country club owner father (Ed Harris) despises it. With the help of his pickleball partner Candace (Mary Steenburgen), he’ll embark on a journey of self-discovery. Oh, and Andy Roddick is there as himself, who also happens to be Dusty’s childhood nemesis.
Starring: Jake Johnson, Mary Steenburgen, Ed Harris, Andy Roddick, Patton Oswalt, Chloe Fineman, Chris Parnell, Aaron Chen, and Ben Stiller
How to watch: The Dink premieres July 24 on Apple TV.
Mayday
Kenneth Branagh and Ryan Reynolds in “Mayday.”
Credit: Apple TV
Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh team up for unconventional spy thriller Mayday. Reynolds plays hotshot U.S. Navy pilot Lieutenant Troy “Assassin” Kelly, who finds himself stranded behind enemy lines in Soviet territory at the height of the Cold War. Branagh plays Nikolai Ustinov (Branagh), the gruff ex-KGB agent who discovers them. The two develop an unexpected bond in this comedy from Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein. Honestly, they gave us Jarnathan, so I trust them with my life.
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Kenneth Branagh, Marcin Dorocinski, Maria Bakalova, and David Morse
How to watch: Mayday premieres Sept. 4 on Apple TV.
Ted Lasso Season 4
Jason Sudeikis and Hannah Waddingham in “Ted Lasso.”
Credit: Apple TV
You better BELIEVE, because Ted Lasso is back. Turns out Season 3 was not the end of Ted’s (Jason Sudeikis) time in Richmond. The lovable soccer coach has returned to England to lead a second division women’s football team, and he’ll be joined by several familiar faces. What are you waiting for? Grab some shortbread and settle in for the resurrection of one of Apple’s biggest shows.
Starring: Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, Jeremy Swift, Tanya Reynolds, Jude Mack, Faye Marsey, Rex Hayes, Aisling Sharkey, Abbie Hern, and Grant Feely
How to watch: Ted Lasso premieres this summer on Apple TV.
Matchbox The Movie
John Cena in “Matchbox The Movie.”
Credit: Apple TV
Mattel’s Matchbox toys get the film treatment in Matchbox The Movie. The movie centers on a group of friends whose lives get blown up by the return of their former leader, undercover CIA agent Sean (John Cena). He gets them involved in a plot to save the world, and the rest is globe-trotting history.
Starring: John Cena, Jessica Biel, Sam Richardson, Teyonah Parris, Arturo Castro, Corey Stoll, Bill Camp, Danai Gurira, and Golshifteh Faranhani
How to watch: Matchbox The Movie premieres Oct. 9 on Apple TV.
Way of the Warrior Kid
Chris Pratt and Jude Hill in “Way of the Warrior Kid.”
Credit: Apple TV
Chris Pratt gives a child a Navy SEAL makeover in Way of the Warrior Kid. Based on the best-selling novel by former Navy SEAL Jocko Willink, the film introduces bullied middle schooler Marc (Jude Hill), whose uncle Jake (Pratt) endeavors to teach Marc to defend himself. Enter “Operation Warrior Kid,” based on Jake’s own Navy SEAL training and designed to help Marc learn about courage. While Marc is the student, Jake may learn something about himself and his own demons along the way.
Starring: Chris Pratt, Linda Cardellini, Jude Hill, Ava Torres, Levi McConaughey, Darien Sills-Evans, Carl McDowell, and Parker Young
How to watch: Way of the Warrior Kid premieres Nov. 20 on Apple TV.
McCourty: 'Travesty' Bill Belichick's Hall snub will steal spotlight from others
Raptors, Wolves each searching for consistency amidst contention
