After over a year of lingering with no updates, it’s finally been announced that Cineverse have acquired the distribution rights for Peter Dinklage’s Toxic Avenger reboot with plans to release it later this year. I find I’m mostly happy with the update, as the distributor has previously seen success with the Terrifier movies and are planning for an unrated release, ensuring it retains all of its gory fun. However, the lack of an actual release date leaves me a bit underwhelmed given it’s been without a release for so long, and therefore could still end up sitting for a while.
Cineverse has announced that “The Toxic Avenger,” a darkly comedic reimagining of Troma Entertainment’s 1984 cult classic of the same name, is headed to theaters in 2025.
Directed by Macon Blair (“I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore”) and starring Peter Dinklage, “The Toxic Avenger” reboot will premiere as an unrated wide release later this year.
In this new chapter of the franchise created by Lloyd Kaufman and Troma Entertainment, Dinklage stars as downtrodden janitor Winston Gooze, who, after a freak accident, transforms into a mutant vigilante known as Toxie. “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,” reads the official synopsis.
Along with Dinklage, the film stars Kevin Bacon, Elijah Wood, Jacob Tremblay, Julia Davis and Taylour Paige.
“Michael Herz, Toxie and I have mopped our tears away! Macon Blair’s Fantoxic reimagining of Toxie’s life is even better than Troma’s! The Troma Fans will be ecstatic!” Kaufman said in reaction to the reboot’s upcoming release.
“’The Toxic Avenger’ isn’t just a great film; it’s an important one,” added Cineverse chairman and CEO Chris McGurk. “Peter Dinklage’s transformative performance and Macon Blair’s fearless direction deliver a story that speaks to the anxieties of our time with outrageous humor and unflinching creativity. This is the kind of movie that major studios are averse to release because it dares to push boundaries, but Cineverse is rooted in championing bold, uncompromising storytelling. We believe audiences are ready – and eager – for films like this to take center stage.”
For those who remember the Scout name from the 1960s and ‘70s when it was owned by International Harvester, nostalgia should suffice for an introduction. For everyone else, meet the forthcoming Scout Terra pickup truck and Traveler SUV, a pair of electric off-roaders from this revived brand. They don’t just rely on retro styling, though, as their body-on-frame construction and solid rear axle are unique among EVs and should make them capable. The Scout siblings will also be sold as plug-in hybrids, which could help encourage adoption.
While electric pickup trucks and electric SUVs continue to proliferate, it’s currently slim pickings when it comes to serious off-roaders. The Terra and Traveler look to fill that niche, aided by their plug-in-hybrid variants that will eliminate range anxiety.
Scout’s proprietary platform combines an old-school body-on-frame configuration with new-age electric powertrains. The Ford F-150 Lightning also rides on frame rails, but unlike the Ford’s independent rear suspension, the Scouts feature a solid rear axle—a setup that’s currently not offered on any other production EV.
Both the pickup and the SUV will be available with two powertrains. The EV versions will have an 800-volt architecture and an electric motor on each axle, as well as mechanical locking front and rear differentials. Scout hasn’t announced a combined horsepower figure, but it’s estimating the all-wheel-drive setup will combine for 1000 pound-feet of torque. The PHEV models will use a gas-fed engine that only charges the battery and doesn’t power the wheels. Without the “Harvester” range-extender, Scout estimates the all-electric Terra and Traveler will be able to go up to 350 miles on a full charge. The Harvester models should be good for over 500 miles, Scout says.
The Scout models will go up against electric vehicles including the Ford F-150 Lightning, GMC Hummer EV pickup and Hummer EV SUV, Jeep Recon, and Rivian R1S and R1T. The Terra and Traveler’s “Harvester” setups will also face off against plug-in hybrids such as the Jeep Wrangler 4xe and Ram 1500 Ramcharger.
