ScreenRant exclusive image offers a new look at the unrated The Toxic Avenger reboot. Written and directed by Macon Blair, the movie is based on Lloyd Kaufman’s 1984 cult classic and stars Peter Dinklage as Winston Gooze, Kevin Bacon as Bob Garbinger, Elijah Wood as Fritz Garbinger, Taylour Paige as J.J., Jacob Tremblay as Wade, Jane Levy as an insurance rep, among others. Despite originally being scheduled for a 2023 release, the project encountered significant delays as it searched for a distributor and is finally arriving in theaters on August 29.

Now, ScreenRant exclusively unveils the first look at Paige’s new character in The Toxic Avenger reboot. Check out the image below:

Blair, who plays Denis in the movie, was injured in arm wrestling with Paige on set, which resulted in his rotator cuff being destroyed. Though they are friendly, the relationship is strained, and a lawsuit is pending. Despite the incident, Blair spoke about Paige being “all class” and “the backbone” of the movie. Read his comment below:

Taylour is all class. Super physical, up for anything, and just a blast to watch on screen. Toxie’s the hero of the movie but Taylour is definitely the backbone.

What This Means For The Toxic Avenger

J.J. Sets The Tone Of The Toxic Avenger

Brought to theaters by the same team behind Terrifier, The Toxic Avenger follows Winston, a janitor, who is transformed into an antihero “Toxie” after being exposed to toxic chemistry in an accident. In a previous interview, Blair explained that Paige’s physicality is one of the main reasons why she’s perfect for the role. In the movie, J.J. is an investigator who gathers information to take down evil corporations and serves as a mentor figure for Toxie.

The first-look image also sees J.J. as a rogue crime fighter. Blair has previously praised Paige’s ability to portray a realistic and authentic rogue hero, whose grit is a match to The Toxic Avenger‘s tone. The director’s comments echo his previous statements while shedding some light on Paige’s crucial role in the upcoming horror comedy movie.

Our Take On Taylour Paige’s Character In The Toxic Avenger

J.J. Is A Mystery And A Surprise

The unrated action horror is not short of gore and gruesome deaths. As teased in The Toxic Avenger‘s commercial-style trailers, the movie is gritty and violent. While there have been very few cases where horror and comedy work very well in a movie, Blair’s upcoming movie might just be one of the rare occurrences.

Pinklage’s Toxie may have been the front of the reboot, but it sounds like Paige’s character, who is noticeably missing from the trailers, will set the tone. With details remaining under wraps, J.J. is still a mystery in The Toxic Avenger, but based on Blair’s comment, it sounds like she may be the surprise.