The Toxic Avenger reboot slated for 2025 wide release

‘The Toxic Avenger’ reboot is set to hit cinemas in 2025.

The movie - which stars Peter Dinklage as the titular anti-hero - is a reimagining of the 1984 Troma Entertainment cult classic flick of the same name, and is slated to land in theatres as an unrated wide release from Cineverse later this year.

Director Macon Blair told Variety: “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!”

The ‘I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore’ filmmaker added the team wanted to “preserve the heart and spirit” of the Toxic Avenger from original picture, and had set out to create a movie that would appeal to long-time fans while also “doing something with the character that feels fresh”.

Blair continued: “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.”

The director paid tribute to Troma co-founders and producers Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz, saying the pair had been “a blast to work with”, while also thanking Legendary Entertainment for their support on the film.

He said: “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 Cineverse to bring this version of Toxie to fans new and old.” 

‘The Toxic Avenger’ - which also stars Kevin Bacon, Elijah Wood, Jacob Tremblay, Julia Davis and Taylour Paige - follows the unlikely hero (Dinklage) as he battles freaks, gangsters and corrupt CEOs, all while trying to save his relationship with his son.

The movie’s story will also “channel the subversive gonzo energy of the original ‘Toxic Avenger’ while delivering a fresh, contemporary twist”.

‘The Toxic Avenger’ reboot was first shown at Fantastic Fest in 2023, and while reactions were positive, the movie struggled to find a distributor due to its intensely gorey and graphic content.

In reaction to the news of ‘The Toxic Avenger’s release, Kaufman promised Troma fans “will be ecstatic” with the reboot.

The Troma president said: “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!”

Meanwhile, Cineverse chairman and CEO Chris McGurk praised ‘The Toxic Avenger’ for having a story “that speaks to the anxieties of our time with outrageous humor and unflinching creativity”.

He said: “‘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 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 centre stage."