1984’s The Toxic Avenger is perhaps Troma’s most famous film, and a remake starring Peter Dinklage has yet to debut despite premiering in 2023. The original Toxic Avenger movie follows 98-pound janitor Melvin who becomes the тιтular monster after he falls into a vat of toxic waste. However, along with becoming deformed, Melvin gains super strength, and he uses his newfound superpower to fight evil. While delivering heaps of gore, the movie effortlessly blended humor, horror, and more than a little bit of Reagan-era satire.

While The Toxic Avenger wasn’t exactly a blockbuster hit and its reach didn’t extend beyond friends sharing the VHS, the movie has grown a huge cult following since its release. A series of Toxic Avengers sequels created an unexpected franchise, and a reboot was greenlit more than a decade ago. After unsticking itself from development hell, the Toxic Avenger remake has now found itself in a strange place, and it still hasn’t been widely released despite premiering in 2023.

The Toxic Avenger Reboot Latest News

A Release Window Is Finally Revealed

After years of little movement on the project, the latest news confirms the release window for The Toxic Avenger remake. Nearly two years after the movie made its festival debut, it has now been confirmed that the tongue-in-cheek Troma flick will arrive at some point in 2025. Though a more concrete date remains elusive, the film has finally found a distributor (Cineverse) who will give the movie a wide release this year. Expressing their enthusiasm for the project, writer/director Macon Blair, Troma’s Lloyd Kaufman, and Cineverse CEO Chris McGurk said:

Blair: I’m beyond grateful to the team behind The Toxic Avenger who were so supportive and steady-handed 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! 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. Lloyd and Michael at Troma have been a blast to work with, absolutely everyone at Legendary are stars, and I can’t wait to start working with the champs at Cinverse to bring this version of Toxie to fans new and old.

Kaufman: Michael Herz, Toxie and I have mopped our tears away! Macon Blair’s Fantoxic reimagining of Toxie’s life is even better than Troma’s! The Troma Fans will be ecstatic!

McGurk: The Toxic Avenger isn’t just a great film; it’s an important one. Peter Dinklage’s transformative performance and Macon Blair’s fearless direction deliver a story that speaks to the anxieties of our time with outrageous humor and unflinching creativity. This is the kind of movie that major studios are averse to release because it dares to push boundaries, but Cineverse is rooted in championing bold, uncompromising storytelling. We believe audiences are ready – and eager – for films like this to take center stage.

The Toxic Avenger Reboot Production Status

The Movie Had A Limited Premiere In 2023

The Toxic Avenger reboot had its world premiere at Fantastic Fest on September 21, 2023. The film was then screened at Beyond Fest in Los Angeles, California, on September 30, 2023. However, the movie would then be left in limbo for the better part of two years as a distributor was sought. Fortunately, Troma and the rest of the team have partnered with Cineverse, who will give The Toxic Avenger a wide release at some point in 2025. No specific release date is known yet, but it will likely come soon.

The Toxic Avenger Reboot Cast

Peter Dinklage Plays Toxie

While the original movie featured complete unknowns, the Toxic Avenger reboot cast is full of celebrated Hollywood actors. Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones, Cyrano) plays the тιтular monster, though the character is different from the first movie and is called Winston. Jacob Tremblay (Room) is playing Winston’s son, Taylour Paige (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) is playing a mysterious character named J.J. Doherty, Sarah Niles (Ted Lᴀsso) plays Mayor Togar, and Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings trilogy) plays Fritz. Kevin Bacon (Tremors, Footloose, Mystic River) is playing the villainous Bob Garbinger.

The confirmed cast of The Toxic Avenger reboot includes:

Actor	Toxic Avenger Role
Peter Dinklage	Winston Gooze/Toxic Avenger
Jacob Tremblay	Wade
Taylour Paige	J.J. Doherty
Kevin Bacon	Bob Garbinger
Sarah Niles	Mayor Togar
Julia Davis	Kissy Sturnevan
Julian Kostov	Budd Berserk
Elijah Wood	Fritz Garbinger
David Yow	Guthrie Stockins
Macon Blair	Dennis
Jonny Coyne	Thad Barkabus
Jane Levy	Insurance Rep (Voice)

The Toxic Avenger Reboot Story

A Gorier Toxic Avenger

If it wasn’t clear from the glowing mop in the first-look image and the main character’s name being changed, The Toxic Avenger reboot is going to be a lot different from the original movie. Instead of falling into a vat of toxic waste, The Toxic Avenger origin story in the reboot sees him diagnosed with a terminal illness. While Bacon is playing the main villain, it’s unclear if he’s playing the same mob boss from 1984’s The Toxic Avenger. However, Niles’ casting as Mayor Togar in The Toxic Avenger reboot hints that the movie essentially has the same story, as Togar was running the mob in the first film.

The Toxic Avenger Reboot Trailer

Catch The Blood-Soaked First Look Below

Despite a heap of excitement around the reboot, the red-band trailer released in late 2023 is the only glimpse of the movie since its premiere at Fantastic Fest. In the trailer, a series of news broadcasts cheekily tease the rise of Toxie before cutting to a sequence borrowed directly from the original film. An armed terrorist group seizes a fast food restaurant and Toxie arrives to violently dispatch them. Throughout the entire trailer for The Toxic Avenger, Toxie’s new look is intentionally hidden from view.