Toxie is back this summer — and so is gushing blood, torn-off limbs and scorched heads.
It follows that the new “Toxic Avenger” movie just got a red band trailer (watch the clip below).
The reimagining of the 1984 New Jersey B-movie classic, starring Jersey’s own Peter Dinklage, will enter theaters August 29 unrated (meaning no one under 18 can be admitted).
In “The Toxic Avenger,” directed by Macon Blair, Dinklage plays Winston Gooze, a widower, father and “downtrodden janitor” who transforms into the Toxic Avenger, aka Toxie, after being exposed to a toxic substance.
The film sees Toxie take on “ruthless corporate overlords” to save his family, friends and son.
Per the film’s description, “In a world where greed runs rampant… justice is best served radioactive." Toxie, it says, is “the hero we need now.”
At the beginning of the trailer, a news broadcast reports that “armed political extremists have taken hostages downtown.”
Then we get a look at Dinklage’s toxic hero and all the carnage that follows as Toxie shows up with his glowing green mop (and tutu).
Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz of Troma Entertainment directed the original “Toxic Avenger” in New Jersey and set the film in fictional Tromaville, New Jersey.
Caution: Red band trailer contains violence, gore and profanity
They also served as producers on the new film, which has had a long road to theaters after premiering at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas in 2023.
Mitch Cohen played the original Toxie and Kenneth Kessler voiced the character, who starts the 1984 film as Melvin Ferd Junko III (played by Mark Torgl), a gym janitor who falls into a vat of toxic waste before undergoing a gnarly metamorphosis to become the Toxic Avenger.
In the new film, the Emmy-winning Dinklage, who hails from Mendham, is joined by Jacob Tremblay, who plays his stepson Wade.
Kevin Bacon plays Bob Garbinger, a corporate boss on the whole “greed” side of things.
Elijah Wood plays his brother Fritz Garbinger, a villain with a pale complexion, blackened teeth and eyes with dark circles who seems like a mix of Danny DeVito’s Penguin from “Batman Returns” (1992) and Gollum, Wood’s co-star in the “Lord of the Rings” movies, where he played Frodo.
Ne’er-do-well Fritz summons the Killer Nutz, a gang of assassins.
Taylour Paige (”Zola,” “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F“) plays a detective reporter in the film, which also stars Julia Davis (“Sally4Ever”).
Promotion for “The Toxic Avenger” has been ongoing this year, with the green Toxie appearing in a boat for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration on the green-dyed Chicago River.
Stories by Amy Kuperinsky
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Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com and followed at @AmyKup on Twitter/X, @amykup.bsky.social on Bluesky and @kupamy on Instagram and Threads.
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