THE TOXIC AVENGER Reboot Will Finally Hit Theaters in 2025

by

Originating from the ’80s horror genre and still considered a splatter classic, The Toxic Avenger has been eagerly awaited for a remake. Interestingly, it’s Macon Blair who took on the task of writing and directing this reboot. Featuring stars like Peter Dinklage, Elijah Wood, and Kevin Bacon, we’ve known about the film since 2018. It premiered at the 2023 Fantastic Fest in Austin, TX, and continued to play various genre festivals that year. We were certain it would hit theaters soon after. However, things don’t always go as planned. Fortunately, Variety reports that The Toxic Avenger will finally make its way to the big screen this year.

2025 sees Cineverse set to release the movie, and Director Blair expresses heartfelt thanks to them and his fellow creators for their understanding during this project’s duration. In a formal announcement, he acknowledged:

It’s fantastic that people will get to experience this movie in theaters; it’s an exciting, lively film that’s best enjoyed among a crowd. The mutant hero, armed with a mop, battles villains – perfect family entertainment! Our aim was to maintain the essence and charm of the original Toxie (a memory etched deeply into my childhood) while creating something that Troma fans would appreciate, yet offer a fresh take on the character. Working with Lloyd, Michael, and the entire team at Legendary has been enjoyable, and I’m eager to collaborate with Cineverse to present this new interpretation of Toxie to both old and new fans!

1984 saw the premiere of “The Original Toxic Avenger,” a groundbreaking film that made Lloyd Kaufman, Michael Herz, and their production company Troma famous. It combined offbeat, sometimes juvenile humor with excessive gore in a way that was beyond the ordinary. Over the years, they produced three sequels for this title and surprisingly, even a short-lived children’s cartoon in the early ’90s.

The upcoming movie revolves around Dinklage’s character, Winston Gooze, who is a janitor at a hazardous waste plant and has had nothing but bad luck in his life. After a string of unfortunate incidents, he gets drenched with chemicals and undergoes a grotesque metamorphosis into a monstrous, green creature. With his distinctive mop as his weapon, this improbable hero takes on freaks, gangsters, and corrupt executives in an attempt to salvage his relationship with his son. The film’s summary suggests that it maintains the rebellious spirit of the original Toxic Avenger, while offering a modern, innovative spin.

Personally, I can’t wait for everyone to experience this masterpiece in full glory. I was fortunate enough to catch it at Beyond Fest in LA back in 2023 and had the pleasure of discussing it with Macon Blair on the TopMob’s Laser Focus podcast. It’s a rollercoaster ride, equally disgusting yet entertaining as you’d expect, and don’t forget to laugh along the way!

Editor’s Note: TopMob is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks

Kyle Anderson serves as the Senior Editor at TopMob, where he also presents the weekly podcast, Laser Focus, which delves into various aspects of pop culture. His film and television critiques are available here. You can keep up with him on Letterboxd.

Read More

2025-01-22 04:32