Toxie lives: Toxic Avenger reboot gets a theatrical release

We love the monster, don’t we, folks?

Based on Lloyd Kaufman’s revolutionary 1984 superhero splatter spoof, The Toxic Avenger reboot is finally emerging from a vat of nuclear waste and claiming a theatrical release. Per Variety, Cineverse, the distributor that helped turn the three Terrifier movies into a blockbuster franchise, will release this new Toxic Avenger in 2025. In a statement, director Macon Blair said he was “beyond grateful” to the team behind the film for their support as “we searched for the perfect distribution partner for our film.”

“It’s so cool that folks will have the chance to see this in theaters. It’s a fun, rowdy movie you wanna see with a crowd. Mutant hero smashes bad guys with a mop: perfect entertainment for the whole family!” Blair said. “Our goal was always to preserve the heart and spirit of the original Toxie (which was seared into my brain at a very young age) and try to make something that Troma fans would dig and at the same time do something with the character that feels fresh.”

Previously, the film had been locked up in distributor hell for over a year. Toxic Avenger debuted at Fantastic Fest 2023 to rave reviews but failed to lock a release. Last year, Dinklage said he didn’t know what was happening with the film. “I’m not a producer on it. I don’t know,” Dinklage said of the film’s stalled release. “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.”

The new film stars Peter Dinklage as the titular Avenger and Jacob Tremblay, Taylour Paige, Julia Davis, Jonny Coyne, Elijah Wood, and Kevin Bacon. However, this Toxie was dumped in a different barrel of goo. Everybody hated Melvin, that 90-pound weakling, so Dinklage plays a new take on the character, now a janitor with the incredible name Winston Gooze. Toxie also has a son and “must stop a ruthless and power-hungry corporate tyrant bent on harnessing toxic superpowers to strengthen his polluted empire.” It’ll be interesting to see what Blair does with a Toxie who isn’t a virgin. Thankfully, we’ll be able to check out the sex-having Toxic Avenger later this year.