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Tag: The Toxic Avenger

  • ‘The Toxic Avenger’ Has Helped Eliminate Over $15 Million in Medical Debt

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    Macon Blair‘s reimagining of The Toxic Avenger made it into theaters in August after an agonizing delay—but if you missed seeing it on the big screen, the Peter Dinklage-starring horror comedy is now available on digital, with a physical release coming October 28. But there’s another success story lurking behind the scenes: a Toxic Avenger-backed campaign to help with medical debt relief.

    First announced in late August ahead of the film’s theatrical bow, the fundraiser—coordinated by Cineverse, the company that distributed The Toxic Avenger—has now achieved more than triple its $5 million goal. The original pledge also included that for every $1 million The Toxic Avenger made at the box office, Cineverse would help eliminate another $1 million in debt.

    According to a press release, “What started as a heroic quest to eliminate $5 million has tripled, thanks to the generosity and passion of The Toxic Avenger fans across the country. Together, you didn’t just meet that goal, you crushed it, helping wipe out over $15 million dollars in medical debt for 10,000+ people in need—a staggering reminder that fandom goes far beyond what takes place on the screen.

    This victory belongs to YOU, the fans. Your excitement, your shares, and your contributions have transformed 3x the number of lives we set out to, proving that communities built around storytelling can be a force for real-world good.”

    As Toxic Avenger fans well know, this fundraiser is perfectly themed to the movie itself. The main character, played by Dinklage (and then voiced by Dinklage once he transforms into the titular hero), has a medical condition that could prove fatal unless he gets the necessary treatment for it… which, of course, his pricey insurance refuses to cover.

    Cineverse’s campaign was coordinated with the nonprofit Undue Medical Debt, which “leverages donations to purchase qualifying medical debt (for individuals four times or below the federal poverty level or who have medical debt that is 5% or more of annual income) in bulk from providers like hospitals and also collection agencies for pennies on the dollar, meaning one dollar donated, on average, erases $100 of unpayable medical debt.”

    You can learn more about the fundraiser, including how to donate directly to the cause and how Undue Medical Debt operates, here; according to the release, “every $10 donated [erases] $1,000 of medical debt.”

    And if you want to pick up The Toxic Avenger for its physical release, it’ll be available in all the usual forms (including a Collector’s Edition Blu-ray and 4K, plus an Amazon exclusive that includes the 1984 Toxic Avenger as a bonus) starting October 28.

    Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

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    Cheryl Eddy

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  • Josh Gad Confirms ‘Spaceballs 2’ to Start Filming

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    Orlando Bloom may-or-may-not return as Legolas in The Hunt for Gollum, Macon Blair may-or-may-not direct a sequel to The Toxic Avenger starring Melanie Lynskey, and the stars of KPOP Demon Hunters may-or-may-not return for a sequel. Mondays, right? Morning Spoilers, ahoy!

    The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum

    Orlando Blood told the Today Show that he’d “hate to see anyone else play Legolas,” but hasn’t “heard a peep” if the character will appear in The Hunt for Gollum.

    I have not heard a peep, actually. I don’t know. I know it’s focusing on Gollum, so anything’s possible. It’s such an amazing part. I’m so grateful to have been a part of those movies. But I haven’t heard. Listen, I’d hate to see anyone else play Legolas, you know what I mean? What are they going to do? Are they going to put somebody else in as Legolas?

    The Toxic Avenger, Part 2?

    Speaking with Deadline, director Macon Blair said he’d “love to” continue making Toxic Avenger movies, and that he already has Melanie Lynskey in mind for a potential villain.

    I would love to do that, and I had been sort of thinking about if somebody were to ask me, what would be cool for adventures to go on with Toxie, but I think we have to see how this one lands first and see if anybody has an appetite for that and see what happens. But to answer your question, I would love it if that were the case…if there were a way that I could have gotten Melanie [Lynskey] in this movie, I would have tried to do that too. But maybe she’s the villain in part two or something like that. I don’t know.

    Avengers: Doomsday

    David Harbour told Screen Rant how “incredible” it feels being on the set of Avengers: Doomsday and to bare witness to “what’s his face doing that speech”.

    I was not even convinced when we started, and this movie’s gonna be really good. They have a special sauce. I don’t even really understand, but they [the Russos] just know how to do these things. And I think that as evidenced in Civil War, as evidenced in Infinity War, there’s something about the layers in which they put the comedy and the drama and the surprises and the scale and the epicness and all that stuff. It’s incredible.

    I will say I’ve never been on a set like this in my life. I’ve never seen anything like this. You saw those chairs. So it’s like, every one of those guys and girls has a trailer. It’s just insane to look around the room and be like, “Oh my god, I’m in the movie. There’s what’s his face doing that speech”. It’s just enormous.

    Cliffhanger 2

    According to Deadline, the upcoming Cliffhanger remake starring Lily James and Pierce Brosnan already has a sequel on the way.

    KPOP Demon Hunters 2

    In conversation with E! at the MTV Music Video Awards, KPOP Demon Hunters‘ star EJAE answered “Who knows, you know?” when asked about a potential sequel, prompting Audrey Nuna to add “we’re waiting for he call as well.” Rei Ami echoed their statements, adding, “As soon as we know, we’ll let you know.”

    Don’t Go in That House, Bitch!

    Variety reports that Media Capital Technologies and the Horror Section “are on board to fully finance and produce” a feature film based on Eli Roth and Snoop Dogg’s concept trailer, Don’t Go in That House, Bitch!

    Spaceballs 2

    Josh Gad confirmed to Collider that filming is about to begin on Spaceballs 2 in Australia.

    I can’t believe it’s actually happening. I pitched it to Mel Brooks three years ago. The fact that we are at the end of pre-production… You’re the first person I’m telling this to: I’m leaving TIFF to fly to Australia to start shooting the movie.

    We’re always hypersensitive to [leaks] and aware of it. We’re going to do, I would say, an even mix that would probably represent what Mel did on the first film. Because it is a Star Wars-esque film, it requires some Vista shots, which we’re doing, and it requires some spaceship shots, which we’re doing.

    Shelby Oaks

    Bloody-Disgusting has a new Shelby Oaks poster that appears heavily indebted to Christian Death’s Catastrophe Ballet album cover.

    Bloody Disgusting
    © NEON

    Traumatika

    Bloody-Disgusting also has a new poster for the nonsecular possession horror movie, Traumatika.

    Bloody Disgusting (4)
    © Saban Films

    The Yeti

    A group of strangers prepare for a siege battle with the titular monster in a clip from The Yeti, starring Brittany Allen, Eric Nelsen, Corbin Bernsen, Jim Cummings, Christina Bennett Lind, and William Sadler.

    Teen Titans Go!

    After voicing character Beast Boy for nearly 25 years, Deadline reports that Greg Cipes will no longer play the part after he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

    The actor took to social media, saying he was “fired” from the role mere hours after publicly revealing his diagnosis. However, Deadline reported that “a source close to the animated series” suggested that “the role of Beast Boy in Teen Titans Go! was [already] in the process of being recast due to creative differences,” and that the long-running series apparently offered Cipes a different character to play, instead.

    Smiling Friends

    Finally, Adult Swim has released a trailer for the third season of Smiling Friends premiering this October 5.

     

     

     

    Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

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    Gordon Jackson

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  • Why ‘The Toxic Avenger’ Is the Superhero Movie We Need Right Now

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    The wait is over! The Toxic Avenger arrives in theaters today, and Troma fans can finally see writer-director Macon Blair’s fresh (but still gross, gory, and proudly unrated) take on the legendary cult franchise.

    In a splattery movie with a lot going on—a sinister health-care megacorp that’s poisoning people and the environment; a hero with a terminal illness who transforms into a badass mutant; Elijah Wood as you’ve never seen him before; a nu-metal “monstercore” band that moonlights as assassins; another gang of assassins, this time with a preppy jock aesthetic; a kid who just really wants to dance; and more—The Toxic Avenger comes back to one important thing: the father-son relationship at its core.

    io9 got a chance to talk to Blair and star Peter Dinklage earlier this summer, just ahead of The Toxic Avenger’s big Hall H moment at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con.

    “I didn’t want to literally step in the same footsteps as the original, where he was more of an adolescent character and he’s trying to get a girlfriend,” Blair said. “So I wanted to do something different. Also, I’m a dad and I think, not in a literal way, but I’m always trying to look for some kind of way to personalize the script that I’m working on. That seemed like the way into it for me, was to have the heart of it about basically a dad and a kid and them trying to figure their situation out.”

    What’s more, “I think there’s a sweetness in the original movies too, and as much as we wanted to preserve the gore and the weird comedy and all that stuff, I wanted to try and preserve the sweetness too.”

    © Cineverse

    Dinklage plays main character Winston Gooze as a human, but stunt performer Luisa Guerreiro takes over after Winston’s transformation into Toxie. Dinklage continues to do Winston’s voice, though, and the level of collaboration is impressive.

    “We had the luxury of a week or so of rehearsals—not all films get that—but Luisa and Macon and I had that time together and Luisa, who is in the suit, is just so good at what she does,” Dinklage said. “She got all my mannerisms down, just sort of studied me like a hawk and that’s because of her homework, her due diligence, is why a lot of people think it’s me in the suit. And of course the voiceover added a different, strange element to it all—that it’s my voice. It just worked, in my opinion, seamlessly.”

    In a key scene, our irradiated protagonist steals the spotlight with an unexpected karaoke moment. The song is “Overkill” by Motörhead, an obvious nod to the band’s late lead singer, Lemmy—a longtime Troma supporter who popped up in Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV, among other films from the studio. But it wasn’t Blair’s first choice, surprisingly.

    “The honest story behind that is in the script I had written it to be a song by Danzig and then Danzig wanted editorial control over the scene,” he recalled. “So we were like, ‘Yeah, we can’t really do that,’ and the next choice was Motörhead. But I’m a big believer in, like, whatever it ends up being is what it was absolutely supposed to be and in hindsight I feel like a fucking fool for trying to make it Danzig in the first place. It should have been Motörhead from the beginning and I’m glad that’s how it ended up. In my mind I was like, Danzig’s from New Jersey so that sort of makes sense too, but Motörhead is a much better option.”

    (The original song choice was Danzig’s “Mother,” by the way.)

    As Winston goes on his blood-splattered path of revenge and redemption, his point of view shifts from “sometimes it’s better to do nothing” to “sometimes you gotta do something.” Blair thinks that makes him the perfect hero for our times.

    “I like the idea that even if the thing that you’re doing is disorganized or you’re doing it in the incorrect way, just trying to do something is better than nothing at all,” Blair said. “The fear of getting it wrong, I think, sometimes can keep people from trying whatever the thing is, and I like the idea that in the movie Winston doesn’t really know what he’s doing; he doesn’t exactly have a plan, but he’s doing the best he can with what he has.”

    The Toxic Avenger 9 2
    © Cineverse

    The Toxic Avenger stars Peter Dinklage, Kevin Bacon, Elijah Wood, Taylour Paige, Jacob Tremblay, and David Yow; it’s written and directed by Macon Blair with original Toxic Avenger director and Troma boss Lloyd Kaufman among its producers. Catch it in theaters starting today, August 29.

    Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

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    Cheryl Eddy

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  • The New ‘Toxic Avenger’ Is Helping Avenge Real-World Health Care Debt

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    The new Toxic Avenger finally hits theaters this week after a few years’ delay, and while audiences are in for a wild ride with the movie’s hilariously gross tale of mutation and redemption, the movie does also tackle more serious themes. A big moment comes early on when Peter Dinklage’s character—Winston Gooze, before he becomes Toxie—learns his expensive health insurance won’t cover his life-or-death medical treatment. Now, the film is applying some real-world activism to that unfortunately relatable modern crisis.

    As Bloody Disgusting reports on its blog, it’s teaming up with its parent company Cineverse, which is distributing The Toxic Avenger, to boost the non-profit Undue Medical Debt. The group states on its own site that its mission is “to strengthen communities by erasing financially burdensome medical debt.”

    According to Bloody Disgusting, “Cineverse is relieving at least $5 million in medical debt across the country, where needed most, with our own donation, with ticket sales leading to unlimited additional donations.”

    The decision to help with medical debt relief came as the Cineverse marketing team was planning the film’s last push before it opens this week.

    “We spent hours brainstorming how to close out the campaign and, while sending Toxie to the moon was appealing, no idea came close to combating unexpected medical debt for families,” said Cineverse’s Lauren McCarthy told Bloody Disgusting. “The Toxic Avenger had his entire life upended by crushing medical costs so, as Toxie says, ‘Sometimes you have to do something.’”

    The Toxic Avenger—featuring on-screen heroics as well as, now, off-screen heroics too—opens August 29. Go see it in theaters and you’ll be helping others while getting your eyeballs filled with splattery delights.

    Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

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    Cheryl Eddy

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  • The Final ‘Toxic Avenger’ Trailer Is a Goofy, Retro Call to Arms

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    After two years of uncertainty whether it’d come out, the next Toxic Avenger movie is hitting theaters this upcoming week. But in case you’re not aware, the folks at BloodyDisgusting—a subsidiary of Cineverse, the film’s distributor—commissioned a trailer that it hopes will make you, in its own words, “show the fuck up.”

    This new “grindhouse” trailer comes courtesy of Wilson Cleveland, a producer and actor who’s previously made fan trailers for Weapons and other films. Cleveland’s approach for Toxic Avenger was to directly mimic the trailer for the original 1984 film from Lloyd Kaufman, right down to the narration and visual filters. What updates he gives the reboot play up its humor (poor Toxie gets called a “fucked up hot dog” in the same clip he gets something thrown at him) and the gnarly violence, including an electrifying new kill involving Toxie’s radioactive mop.

    Suffice to say, Troma really wants this Toxic Avenger to be seen by as many people as possible and revitalize the brand: Kaufman, reboot director Macon Blair, and its cast have been doing a lot of promo lately, and the character’s even made a return to comics thanks to Ahoy’s just-started ongoing series. The movie hits theaters on Friday, August 29, and you can get tickets here—and if it gets you interested in the earlier movies, Kaufman seems to recommend starting with 2000’s Citizen Toxie, his personal favorite.

    Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

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    Justin Carter

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  • Peter Dinklage Is Optimistic ‘Toxic Avenger’ Reboot Will Get Released and “Have Its Day in the Toxic Sun”

    Peter Dinklage Is Optimistic ‘Toxic Avenger’ Reboot Will Get Released and “Have Its Day in the Toxic Sun”

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    Peter Dinklage is so proud of his The Toxic Avenger reboot that he just wants more people to finally get to see it.

    The Emmy-winning actor was recently asked if the film could get a wide release soon, given it was “a really big hit” after it opened the Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas, last year.

    “No, I’m not a producer on it. I don’t know,” Dinklage admitted to ComicBook.com. “I do want it to get out there into the world because it was a really big hit at Fantastic Fest in Austin, and Macon Blair, the writer/director who is also in The Thicket … He’s incredible. He’s one of my favorite people and favorite artists.”

    The Game of Thrones alum added, “So hopefully it will have its day in the toxic sun.”

    The Toxic Avenger, a reimagining of the original 1984 cult-favorite movie, follows Dinklage’s Winston Gooze, a janitor whose employer refuses to cover treatment for his terminal illness. But after robbing the company, Winston falls into toxic waste and aims to right society’s wrongs as the Toxic Avenger, a mutant hero.

    The horror-comedy, which received a 92 percent critics score on Rotten Tomatoes from 25 reviews after its global premiere at Fantastic Fest in September 2023, has yet to receive a release date.

    The reboot also stars Jacob Tremblay, Taylour Paige, Elijah Wood and Kevin Bacon.

    Earlier this year, it was also announced that Matt Bors and Fred Harper were teaming up for a new The Toxic Avenger comic, from indie publisher AHOY Comics. The first of the five-issue comic book series is due out Oct. 9.

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    Carly Thomas

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