Cult classic micro-budget horror film The Toxic Avenger may just be going mainstream.
Legendary Entertainment has acquired the film rights to The Toxic Avenger, according to The Hollywood Reporter, and a reboot of the Troma horror franchise is in the works. Troma founders Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz are set to produce the new film project. They also produced the original 1984 film.
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The original The Toxic Avenger follows 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 to a hero who stands up not just to bullies, but corruption as well.
The original film found success as a long-running midnight movie in New York City which prompted a handful of sequels, including The Toxic Avenger Part II, The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie, and Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV. There was also a stage musical, a children’s cartoon, and even a Marvel comic book based off of the property.
When it comes to Toxie’s return to the big screen, though, until this news of a reboot with Legendary, that’s been a bit more of a question. There had previously been a lot of talk about fifth installment of The Toxic Avenger, including comments from Kaufman describing the fifth film as focusing on Toxie’s grown up children.
“This is a very ambitious Toxic Avenger movie,” Kaufman told SFX magazine earlier this year. “The script is complete, and it will focus on Toxie’s two children who, 20 years after part four, have all grown up. And one has mutated into a very strange being. Toxie is going to go to Chernobyl in this one. It will cost just $100,000 – but I think it is the best one yet.”
The Toxic Avenger reboot does not currently have a writer or filmmaker lined up. Other upcoming Legendary films include Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Detective Pikachu.
Are you excited about The Toxic Avenger reboot? Let us know in comments.
