The Toxic Avenger (2023)

Last updated on September 27th, 2025 at 04:52 am

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

When a downtrodden janitor, Winston Gooze, is exposed to a catastrophic toxic accident, he’s transformed into a new kind of hero: The Toxic Avenger. Now, Toxie must rise from outcast to savior, taking on ruthless corporate overlords and corrupt forces who threaten his son, his friends, and his community. In a world where greed runs rampant… justice is best served radioactive.

Cineverse is distributing the movie in the US and will reportedly give it a wide theatrical release later in the year. (1/21/25)

It’s been a couple years since the last update on the film and it’s still no closer to getting a release. Word at the moment is that it’s “unreleasable,” according to one of the film’s producers, adding that it’s “too out there” for a mainstream theatrical release. The producer ultimately believes that it’ll likely land on VOD or streaming at some point in the future, saying: “If it had great reviews then maybe the forecast would be a little rosier, but there isn’t much potential. It’s too niche. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see it on Tubi a few years from now.” Keep in mind that until something official is revealed that this is simply hearsay. (7/12/24)

Filmed in Bulgaria.

Writer/director Macon Blair had a recent interview, where he talks a bit about what fans can expect from this remake, saying: “Troma fans are passionate and dedicated and it’s important 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.” (2/1/22)

Johnny Coyne plays “a shadowy criminal figure.”

Sarah Niles plays “a corrupt city official.”

Kevin Bacon is set to play a villain in the film.

Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones) plays The Toxic Crusader.

Macon Blair (I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore) is set to write and direct. (3/22/19)

Big budget production company Legendary Entertainment is apparently producing the project now. It also seems that Conrad Vernon is no longer directing. (12/10/18)

Steve Pink (Hot Tub Time Machine) was originally set to direct and co-wrote an early draft, which told the story of “an average teen who joins an environmental club to impress his crush. While doing some investigating at a waste plant, he is thrown into a tub of waste and transforms into a radioactive hero.”

It’s said that this film will be a more grounded and mainstream telling of the story.

The original goal for the remake was to turn “Toxie into a green superhero for these environmentally conscious times.”

Producer Richard Saperstein originally intended to make this a more quirky family friendly PG-13 action-comedy, in the vein of films like The Mask, but that idea seems to have been dropped.

Initially this was intended to re-launch the franchise and include up to four sequels, an animated TV series and comic books.

This is said to be a “contemporary re-imagining” of the original 1984 Troma film with the same name.

Umbrella Entertainment released The Toxic Avenger in Cinemas in Australia on August 28, 2025.

Signature Entertainment released The Toxic Avenger in Cinemas in the UK on August 29, 2025.

VVS Films released The Toxic Avenger in Theatres in Canada on August 29, 2025.

Cineverse released The Toxic Avenger in Theaters on August 29, 2025.

Signature Entertainment releases The Toxic Avenger on Digital in the UK on September 29, 2025.

Cineverse releases The Toxic Avenger on VOD and Digital on September 30, 2025.

Cineverse releases The Toxic Avenger on DVD; Blu-ray (Collector’s Edition); 4K + Blu-ray (Collector’s Edition), which includes a limited edition lenticular O-Sleeve; Steelbook – 4K + Blu-ray (Collector’s Edition); and an Amazon exclusive 4K UHD + Blu-ray Collector’s Edition with bonus feature Lloyd Kaufman’s original The Toxic Avenger (1984) on 4K UHD on October 28, 2025.

IMDb

Director: Macon Blair