Co-director Lloyd Kaufman shared his thoughts on Legendary rebooting his 1984 cult-classic The Toxic Avenger. According to Kaufman, the reboot is not only in great hands with its writer/director Macon Blair, but he prefers its story to his and Joe Ritter's.
"I’ve read the script and it’s better than the original," Kaufman told Dread Central in an interview. Further, he assured fans that even though the film won't be a Troma Entertainment production, it maintains the Troma tone as Blair "knows it better" than him.
"Macon Blair knows Troma better than I do," Kaufman said of the reboot's writer/director. "He’s seen everything. He’s seen the cartoon, he’s seen the Halloween special... And he loves our movies like Troma’s War and Terror Firmer... He knows the Troma sense of humor, the combination of slapstick and satire with the environmental theme."
Although Kaufman is producing the film, he confirmed he'll have a mostly hands-off approach. "If I’m called upon, I’d be happy to jump in," he said. "I learned on the musical to leave the creative to the creative. I learned to let them ask so if they want me, I’m there." Co-director Michael Herz will also serve as a producer alongside Kaufman.
Troma Entertainment debuted The Toxic Avenger in 1984. Known for its vast collection of B-movie horror films, the studio sought to create a mishmash of an underdog hero story that didn't shy away from gore or goo or comedy. The film's screenplay was written by Joe Ritter and based on a story by Kaufman. The Toxic Avenger was co-directed by Michael Herz and Kaufman.
Although audiences weren't quite sure what to make of the gut-ripping film at the time, it became a cult classic that spawned an entire franchise of films, a stage play and even a Marvel comic published from 1991-1992.
Although it remained uncertain who would own Toxie's creative rights for years, Legendary gained the rights in 2018. Since then, the studio has been working on a modern remake. Legendary previously reported that its take is milder in tone and suggested a possible PG-13 rating instead of an R-rating -- likening its approach to 2016's Deadpool.
Emmy-winning actor Peter Dinklage will star as the film's lead, Melvin Ferd, a man who goes from being a harassed janitor to Toxie -- a deformed superhuman vigilante in Tromaville slashing evil-doers' guts in Legendary's remake of 1984's cult-classic/horror-comedy. At the time of this writing, no other casting decisions have been made.
Written and directed by Macon Blair, The Toxic Avenger does not have a release date yet.
Source: Dread Central