The Toxic Avenger is one of the most beloved cult classics of the 1980s. Along with boasting the debut of the first superhero from New Jersey, the film is gross, funny, and inappropriate. When it was announced that a remake was in the works, the immediate question was, “how?” This changed to “why?” when news came out it was going to be a family-friendly release similar to the Toxic Crusaders cartoon.
Fans of the original do not need to worry about the new version being watered down. Due to excessive gore (among other things) 2025’s The Toxic Avenger is being released unrated. In this installment, a janitor named Winston Gooze (Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones) transforms into a monster after a freak accident. He is forced to fight corrupt CEOs in an attempt to save his relationship with his son.
The hardest part about doing a Troma remake is getting the humor right. The jokes have to be ill-advised, then taken to the next level. Why have a sexual assault scene when you can have the same scene involving a blind woman? The new The Toxic Avenger is able to do that – just without all the creepiness seen in the original.
This means there is a lot of violence in The Toxic Avenger. People do not just die; they explode, the tops of their jaws are torn off, they are electrocuted, there is even a callback involving a head being smashed by a car. Every death is graphic and over the top in a way that is both disgusting and funny.
The other aspect that made the 1984 release so beloved was Toxie himself. While he was a mutated vigilante that tore people’s limbs off, he was also someone audiences could get behind. Dinklage brings this same empathy to Winston. Life has beaten him down and he is just trying to keep his small family together. Along with Dinklage, the cast includes Kevin Bacon and Elijah Wood, who both seem to be having a great time.
Re-imaginings are tough, but the new The Toxic Avenger is a hell of a lot of fun. While there are some fun references (an ‘I Love the Monster’ shirt, Melvin Ferd makes an appearance, Nuke ‘Em High), it is its own story. It is definitely not for everyone, but it is a worthy addition to the franchise.
The Toxic Avenger comes to theaters August 29.
