Film’s Release Comes With a Promise to Erase Millions in Medical Bills
The upcoming release of The Toxic Avenger will bring more than radioactive mayhem to theaters this weekend; it will also erase millions of dollars in medical debt for families across the country.
You can watch the red band trailer here:
Cineverse, distributor of the unrated horror-comedy written and directed by Macon Blair (I Don’t Feel At Home in This World Anymore, writer for Marvel Comics/Dark Horse Comics), announced that at least $5 million in medical debt will be forgiven as part of a partnership with the nonprofit Undue Medical Debt. For every $1 million the film earns at the box office, an additional $1 million in debt will be erased. You can watch an explainer video of how it works here, an FAQ, and then check out the official Toxic Avenger campaign page. You can purchase tickets here.
“We spent hours brainstorming how to close out the campaign and, while sending Toxie to the moon was appealing, no idea came close to combating unexpected medical debt for families,” said Cineverse SVP of Marketing Lauren McCarthy. “The Toxic Avenger had his entire life upended by crushing medical costs, so, as Toxie says, ‘Sometimes you have to do something. ’”
The Toxic Avenger stars Peter Dinklage as Winston Gooze, a janitor transformed into an unlikely hero after a toxic accident. The cast also includes Kevin Bacon, Elijah Wood, Jacob Tremblay, and Taylour Paige. The reboot of Lloyd Kaufman’s cult classic is produced by Legendary Entertainment and distributed by Cineverse. It premieres Aug. 29 with a runtime of 102 minutes.
The program works by purchasing medical debt portfolios from hospitals and collection agencies for pennies on the dollar, targeting individuals earning less than four times the federal poverty level or whose medical debt exceeds 5% of their annual income. According to the nonprofit, every dollar donated relieves an average of $100 in unpayable medical debt. Families who qualify will be notified with a letter in the mail informing them their debt has been forgiven.
The decision comes after months of unconventional promotional stunts for the movie, including a Comic-Con appearance, an Earth Day cleanup in Los Angeles, warning teens about sugary soda, and a tongue-in-cheek revival of the Moviefone hotline. Cineverse said it is redirecting the remainder of its marketing budget toward the debt-relief initiative.
