‘The Toxic Avenger’ Has Helped Eliminate Over $15 Million in Medical Debt

Macon Blair‘s reimagining of The Toxic Avenger made it into theaters in August after an agonizing delay—but if you missed seeing it on the big screen, the Peter Dinklage-starring horror comedy is now available on digital, with a physical release coming October 28. But there’s another success story lurking behind the scenes: a Toxic Avenger-backed campaign to help with medical debt relief.

First announced in late August ahead of the film’s theatrical bow, the fundraiser—coordinated by Cineverse, the company that distributed The Toxic Avenger—has now achieved more than triple its $5 million goal. The original pledge also included that for every $1 million The Toxic Avenger made at the box office, Cineverse would help eliminate another $1 million in debt.

According to a press release, “What started as a heroic quest to eliminate $5 million has tripled, thanks to the generosity and passion of The Toxic Avenger fans across the country. Together, you didn’t just meet that goal, you crushed it, helping wipe out over $15 million dollars in medical debt for 10,000+ people in need—a staggering reminder that fandom goes far beyond what takes place on the screen.

This victory belongs to YOU, the fans. Your excitement, your shares, and your contributions have transformed 3x the number of lives we set out to, proving that communities built around storytelling can be a force for real-world good.”

As Toxic Avenger fans well know, this fundraiser is perfectly themed to the movie itself. The main character, played by Dinklage (and then voiced by Dinklage once he transforms into the titular hero), has a medical condition that could prove fatal unless he gets the necessary treatment for it… which, of course, his pricey insurance refuses to cover.

Cineverse’s campaign was coordinated with the nonprofit Undue Medical Debt, which “leverages donations to purchase qualifying medical debt (for individuals four times or below the federal poverty level or who have medical debt that is 5% or more of annual income) in bulk from providers like hospitals and also collection agencies for pennies on the dollar, meaning one dollar donated, on average, erases $100 of unpayable medical debt.”

You can learn more about the fundraiser, including how to donate directly to the cause and how Undue Medical Debt operates, here; according to the release, “every $10 donated [erases] $1,000 of medical debt.”

And if you want to pick up The Toxic Avenger for its physical release, it’ll be available in all the usual forms (including a Collector’s Edition Blu-ray and 4K, plus an Amazon exclusive that includes the 1984 Toxic Avenger as a bonus) starting October 28.

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