A gruesome horror film thought to be ‘unreleasable’ has been resurrected from the dead and is coming to cinemas.
The Toxic Avenger, a reboot of the 1984 film of the same name, initially premiered at Fantastic Fest in 2023 before having screenings at Beyond Fest and Sitges.
It boasts a star-studded cast including Game Of Thrones star Peter Dinklage and Lord Of The Rings icon Elijah Wood alongside Jacob Tremblay, Taylour Paige, Kevin Bacon, Sarah Niles, Julia Davis, and Julian Kostov.
It follows janitor Winston Gooze (Dinklage), who, after a freak accident, transforms into the mutant vigilante Toxie.
With his mop in hand, he battled everything from corrupt CEOs to hardened criminals while also trying to salvage his complicated relationship with his son.
It is the fifth installment in the franchise originally created by Lloyd Kaufman and based on the Marvel comics of the same name.
Unlike your average Marvel film, however, The Toxic Avenger was branded ‘absurdly gory’ and ‘extremely silly’ by those lucky enough to see it.
After a period of silence, in 2024 it was announced the film would not be released due to difficulties securing a distributor, being described as ‘unreleasable’ with creatives behind the film attributing this to its graphic violence and gore.
Film producer Adam Masnyk took to X at the time to say The Toxic Avenger was ‘not safe enough to market’, and that it could well become lost media.
But that will no longer be the case, with Cineverse sharing this month that they’ve acquired distribution rights for the films with plans to release it theatrically later this year.
Speaking about the news in a statement, director Macon Blair said: ‘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 theatres, 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.’
Cineverse chairman and SEO Chris McGurk added: ‘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 humour and unflinching creativity.
‘This is the kind of movie that major studios are averse to releasing 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 centre stage.’
Cineverse acquired all US and Canadian theatrical, home entertainment, and streaming rights. As yet, details of a UK release date remain unknown.
The Toxic Avenger currently sits at a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with many critics praising its practical effects and Dinklage’s performance as Toxie.
In their review, The Daily Dead wrote: ‘An energetic and entertaining reboot that nonetheless struggles to prove the independent, lead-with-bad-taste worlds of Lloyd Kaufman and mainstream studio moviemaking are compatible.’
The Mary Sue said: ‘The Toxic Avenger is exactly as advertised. It does what it says on the tin. It’s comically violent, absurdly gory, and extremely silly. But it’s also a timely “eat the rich” story infused with an earnest working-class perspective.’
AwardsWatch agreed, adding: ‘Utter absurdity. Bonkers. Ridiculous…it’s a delight to say that this reimagining of Kaufman’s iconic mop-wielding toxic avenger tale is entertaining and shockingly heartfelt.’
Collider wrote: ‘A bonkers & bloody delight. Macon Blair’s Toxic Avenger is a hugely enjoyable & rowdy escape that also feels like a celebration of movie magic, especially the wild things one can create with ingenuity, practical effects & a lot of passion for the genre.’
The Toxic Avenger will be released in cinemas in 2025.
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