Everything is a reboot nowadays, something even the Animaniacs joke about. Luckily, everyone is stuck inside and running out of things to watch, so anything new-ish is always greeted with open arms and open recliners. The upcoming remake of cult classic The Toxic Avenger from Legendary Entertainment hopes to receive the same warm reception, and now thanks to news that Peter Dinklage has joined the cast, that possibility seems all the more likely.
Michael Herz and Lloyd Kaufman, who directed the original film from Troma Entertainment in 1984, will return to produce the reboot, while actor and director Macon Blair has signed on to direct and write. Currently, Dinklage is the only confirmed cast member, and his role has not been established, but he isn’t the first to be considered. A Toxic Avenger reboot has been in the works since as early as 2010, with big names like Guillermo Del Toro floated around as producers and even Arnold Schwarzenegger briefly entering talks to star in the film. However, the reboot in its current form is a much more recent endeavor, dating back to December of 2018 when Legendary obtained the rights. The studio plans to handle the reboot as a subversion of the superhero genre, in a similar style to 2016’s Deadpool and its 2018 sequel.
1984’s The Toxic Avenger focused on the unfortunate janitor Melvin. After accidentally falling into a vat of toxic waste thanks to a group of miscreants who regularly torment him, he becomes deformed and superpowered, going on to use his new abilities to help the people of his town and fight evil as the superhero Toxie. Even today, it sounds like a subversion of a typical supervillain origin story, so Legendary’s apparent plan to turn it into a Deadpool-esque romp doesn’t sound too far-fetched. The original Toxic Avenger fancied itself a dark comedy, so there’s another point in its favor.
Dinklage has clearly been keeping himself busy. Even apart from his award-winning time on Game of Thrones as Tyrion Lannister, the now veteran actor has dipped his toes into properties of all sorts, appearing in such films as Avengers: Infinity War and X-Men: Days of Future Past, and even briefly lending his voice to popular MMO shooter Destiny. He’s clearly got the sort of range that would lend itself well to such an unusual film like The Toxic Avenger. Considering how the original was handled, perhaps he will serve as the voice of the titular hero like Kenneth Kessler did in the original. He’s certainly got the pipes for it.
To be perfectly honest, this seems like one situation where a reboot is a great idea. The Toxic Avenger is already unique, and considering its cult status, many potential moviegoers may be simply unaware of its existence. So not only will a reboot take another shot at an already creative idea, but it can also draw eyes to the original, finally giving it the attention it craved way back in 1084.
Since the reboot is still in (very) early development, there’s plenty of time to speculate while waiting for more info. Whether Dinklage joins as Melvin, the voice of Toxie, or any number of other possibilities, it’s certain to be an interesting experience.
Source: Deadline
![\"IT電腦補習](\"http://itteacheritfreelance.hk/test/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/logo2-2.png\"){kind=logo}
www.itsec.hk
www.itsec.vip
www.itseceu.uk
Leave a Reply