[Movie] The Toxic Avenger

[Smoove_B]

New Jersey's superhero is back!

Written and directed by Macon Blair, Legendary Entertainment's The Toxic Avenger is a contemporary reimagining of Troma Entertainment’s 1984 cult classic of the same name created by Lloyd Kaufman. This film features a stellar ensemble, led by Peter Dinklage in the title role, that includes Jacob Tremblay, Taylour Paige, Julia Davis, Jonny Coyne, Elijah Wood, and Kevin Bacon.

The Toxic Avenger follows struggling everyman-janitor Winston Gooze, who is transformed by a horrible toxic accident into a new evolution of hero: The Toxic Avenger! Now with super-human strength and wielding a glowing mop for his unconventional weapon, he must race against time to save his son and stop a ruthless and power-hungry corporate tyrant bent on harnessing toxic superpowers to strengthen his polluted empire.

[Brian]

Winston Gooze

Really?

They couldn't even name the titular character Melvin?

I haven't watched the trailer yet (definitely not while on the company network) so I will have to check later but I imagine that this will not have the over-the-top gratuitous nudity and graphic (very!) violence of the original.

[Smoove_B]

No nudity in the trailer, but there is definitely some violence!

And yes, it's NSFW, which in 2023 feels quaint to type.

[hepcat]

I thought this was one of those fan made trailers initially. I mean, a Toxic Avenger reboot? And featuring Peter Dinklage? Throw in a fantastic writer/director/actor like Macon Blair (if you haven’t seen Blue Ruin, you’re missing out on an American masterpiece) and it sounds even more unbelievable.

But I will watch this. Much as I did with the original films. I just doubt some of the more outrageous stuff from the original will make it into this remake.

[Isgrimnur]

The Toxic Avenger Is Filled With ‘Itchy & Scratchy-Type Violence’, Says Director Macon Blair

[Smoove_B]

I was wondering what was going on:

About a year after its first teaser was released, however, Dinklage still doesn’t have a happy update about The Toxic Avenger‘s fate. “I’m not a producer on it. I don’t know,” Dinklage told ComicBook.com when asked whether the film would ever get a release date. “I do want it to get out there into the world because it was a really big hit at Fantastic Fest in Austin, and Macon Blair, the writer/director… He’s incredible. He’s one of my favorite people and favorite artists. So hopefully it will have its day in the toxic sun.”

And:

“If it had great reviews then maybe the forecast would be a little rosier, but there isn’t much potential. It’s too niche. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see it on Tubi a few years from now,” an anonymous producer on the film purportedly told World Of Reel last month. Filmmaker Adam Masnyk seemed to confirm this directive on Twitter/X when he posted “this is factual” in response to a separate Tweet suggesting that “distributors considered it wasn’t safe enough to market, so no one has picked it up.” “This is what we (I work in movie product licensing) were officially told as well regarding it,” Masnyk wrote.

[Jaymann]

I saw the original back in 1984. Not that impressed.