A while back, Game of Thrones veteran Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister) filmed a movie called The Toxic Avenger, a reboot/remake/reimagining of a cult classic film of the same name from 1984, about a janitor who falls into a vat of toxic waste, gets superpowers, and gets revenge. The original movie was made by Troma, which specialized in glorious sleaze. The remake got great reviews from those who saw it, but for a while it felt like it was never going to actually get released into theaters, supposedly because distributors thought it was too niche.
Which is nuts, because obviously it's niche; that's the point of a movie like this. How are film studios going to find any new audiences if they never try releasing anything new? And yes, I know it's weird to call a remake of a 40-year-old movie "new"; I'm just frustrated.
Happily, Variety comes bearing good news: the Toxic Avenger remake will get released wide in theaters sometime this year courtesy of distributor Cineverse, although we don't have an exact release date yet. Still, you get to see this on the big screen:
“I’m beyond grateful to the team behind ‘The Toxic Avenger’ who were so supportive and steady-handed as we searched for the perfect distribution partner for our film,” said director Macon Blair in a statement. “It’s so cool that folks will have the chance to see this in theaters, it’s a fun rowdy movie you wanna see with a crowd. Mutant hero smashes bad guys with a mop: perfect entertainment for the whole family! Our goal was always to preserve the heart and spirit of the original Toxie (which was seared into my brain at a very young age) and try to make something that Troma fans would dig and at the same time do something with the character that feels fresh. Lloyd and Michael at Troma have been a blast to work with, absolutely everyone at Legendary are stars, and I can’t wait to start working with the champs at Cinverse to bring this version of Toxie to fans new and old.”
We also got an official synopsis: “Armed with his signature mop, the unlikely hero battles freaks, gangsters and corrupt CEOs while trying to save his relationship with his son. The story channels the subversive gonzo energy of the original ‘Toxic Avenger’ while delivering a fresh, contemporary twist.”
In addition to Dinklage, the movie also stars Elijah Wood, Kevin Bacon and Jacob Tremblay, so there's some not inconsiderable star power in the mix. All of that makes it even weirder that it took so long for a distributor to look at a completed movie with reasonably big-name actors and excellent reviews and decide to release it so people can see it. I'm not saying that every movie should get a wide release just because it's weird and different, but the Toxic Avenger remake looks like it's weird and different and good and marketable. If a distributor can't make that combination work, what hope is there for the movie business?
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