TORONTO — Billboards promoting made-in-Toronto series The Strain are being taken down in the US following complaints from motorists.
Billboards for the show, which debuts on FX July 13, show a worm crawling out of a woman’s eye ball.
“We are in the process of replacing the key art for The Strain on outdoor media in several locations,” a FX spokesman said in a statement.
On social media, many people have been complaining about the marketing campaign for The Strain.
The 13-episode series from Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan, wrapped production in Toronto at the end of April.
It follows an epidemiologist (Corey Stoll) and his team as they investigate the mysterious deaths of passengers onboard a jet that lands at JFK in New York. They quickly realize a viral outbreak is threatening the city.
The Strain also stars Sean Astin and Canadian actors Kevin Durand and Robert Maillet.
BELOW: See the controversial image from the marketing campaign for The Strain.
Among critics of the billboards and posters is Kirsten Smith, writer of movies like Legally Blonde and 10 Things I Hate About You.
“Seriously, The Strain? I have to look at your disgusting eyeball billboard when I drive? Are you trying to make me crash and die?,” she tweeted.
“We can’t use the f word in a PG-13 movie but networks can put a giant bloody eyeball on Sunset Blvd.”
Smith added: “The bloody eyeballs are on buses too. So when you’re checking your blind spot, there’s an eyeball in it.”
Actor David Holmes (Reno 911) was more direct.
Here are a few more comments about the eye-worm billboards:
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