The Toxic Avenger Reboot Director Breaks Down His Approach to the Film

Legendary’s reboot of The Toxic Avenger may be one of the more interesting film projects announced in recent years. A revival of the Troma film franchise, the reboot from writer/director Macon Blair has an impressive cast that includes Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage as the titular hero, Kevin Bacon, Jacob Tremblay, Taylour Paige, Julia Davis, and Elijah Wood and wrapped production late last summer. The film doesn’t yet have a release date, but that doesn’t mean we’re not getting updates. In a conversation with Bloody Flicks, Blair broke down his approach to the film, revealing that he was approached to pitch his version and that he was, at first hesitant.

“I was approached to pitch my take. At first, I was hesitant but then I kept thinking about it and ended up suggesting a version of the character and the world to Legendary,” Blair said. “They wanted to hear more and we kind of developed it from there. The guiding principle was that the story could exist on its own terms but in spirit would feel connected to the original.”

He also spoke about the development of the film and how it both preserved some of the “vibe” of Lloyd Kaufman’s original film, but also will connect with contemporary audiences new to the whole story.

“I saw Toxie as an impressionable kid and it had quite an impact on me—the absurdity and gleeful bad taste of it,” Blair said. “So, in one sense it’s an exciting privilege to get to take a swing at a new version but it’s also kind of daunting because there are different goals we’re trying to hit simultaneously. Troma fans are passionate and dedicated and it’s impossible to make a movie they feel like honors the original. I don’t presume we’re going to be able to please every single person, but the intention and the hope is that fans will feel like we’ve preserved some of that Kaufman vibe. But at the same time, we want to make a movie that will connect with contemporary audiences who may not have heard of Troma or Toxie, who are coming into it without that context, so it can’t all be winks and nods and rehash of the original.”

The new Toxic Avenger is set to be a contemporary reimagining of the 1984 cult classic of the same name created by Troma Entertainment. The original film followed the story of “Melvin Ferd (Mark Torgl), a mild-mannered janitor at a health club who is transformed into a horrific, mutated, radioactive creature after being chased out of a window by bullies only to fall into a vat of toxic waste. However, the toxic waste doesn’t just transform his appearance. Melvin is given superhuman size and strength, turning him into a hero who stands up not just to bullies, but corruption as well.” This new take will take on similar themes, described as “when a struggling everyman is pushed into a vat of toxic waste, he is transformed into a mutant freak who must go from shunned outcast to underdog hero as he races to save his son, his friends and his community from the forces of corruption and greed.” 

Are you looking forward to the new Toxic Avenger? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section.