Superhero films will soon get a gooey, gory shot in the arm with the release ofMacon Blair’s remake of the Troma Films classicThe Toxic Avenger. In place of the nerdy Melvin Ferd Junko III is the downtrodden janitor Winston Gooze, who suffers a similarly unfortunate fate after a toxic accident mutates him into the violent hero fans know and love. Legendary has yet to release a detailed look at Toxie’s twisted new visage, butEmpire Magazinejust released a new image ofPeter Dinklagebefore his life is changed forever. With a green glow reflected on his face, it foreshadows the monstrous, unlikely protector he’ll soon become.
Blair’sThe Toxic Avengertakes things in a slightly different, more emotional direction from the original B-movie. Gooze works a dead-end job as a janitor at the Garb-X health club trying to provide for his son (Jacob Tremblay). A terminal diagnosis changes everything for him and his boss couldn’t care less, dismissing his pleas for help with the pricey treatment. As if things couldn’t get worse, his plan to infiltrate and steal from the company under his boss’s nose goes horribly wrong, ending in the fateful accident that would transform him into the city’s greatest hero. Armed with a glowing mop and super strength, hevows to violently clean up the town, save his son, and stopKevin Bacon’s tyrannical yet silly villain Bob Garbingerbefore he can grow his empire of trash any further.
While Blairwas determined to keep the themes of the Troma original aliveand well in his remake, a few of the edges had to be sanded down to make it somewhat more appealing to newcomers. One thing that will be consistent between both the remake and the original, however, is the over-the-top violence. Blair hadsurprisingly little trouble getting Legendary on boardwith the carnage, and he went as far as comparing the violence toThe Simpsons' iconic cat-and-mouse duo Itchy & Scratchy. “We’ve got a guy that gets his head stuffed in a car engine and it kind of grinds his head up,” the director teased to Empire. “That was a gag I was fond of.” He reiterated that nothing was off the table, adding that his pitches to Legendary “embraced the silliness and trashiness, while wanting it to be an enjoyable, crowd-pleasing, rock’n’roll fun time.”
Critics Are Already Pleased With ‘The Toxic Avenger’
AlthoughThe Toxic Avengerisn’t out yet and still doesn’t have a theatrical release date for the public, attendees at Fantastic Fest and Beyond Fest have been impressed with what they saw from Blair’s starrier, higher-budget take. The film holdsa 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoesand has even earned compliments from fellow filmmakers, includingSuitable FleshdirectorJoe Lynch. Blair, by all accounts, has created somethingwith a heavy focus on practicality and Troma goodnessaimed at honoring the undying original franchise.
While Dinklagewas the perfect choice in Blair’s mind to leadThe Toxic Avenger, the rest of the cast is also more than praise-worthy. Tremblay and Bacon are joined by other talented stars, includingTaylour Paige,Sarah Niles,Julia Davis, andJohnny CoynealongsideElijah Woodwho underwent a stunning transformationtoplay an oddball designed with his talents in mind. Blair, who recently appeared in the box-office smashOppenheimer, will also pop up on-screen.
Stay tuned here at Collider for updates on whenThe Toxic Avengerwill be available to the public. In the meantime,read our guide to the film hereand check outour first reaction to seeing it at Fantastic Festfor everything you need to know when it arrives in theaters. Check out the new image above.
The Toxic Avenger
After a toxic accident, janitor Winston Gooze gains superhuman abilities and transforms into the Toxic Avenger. Armed with a glowing mop, he must save his son and thwart a tyrannical villain seeking to exploit toxic powers for personal gain. The film blends action and social commentary.
