San Diego Comic-Con 2025: ‘The Toxic Avenger’ Panel

The new take on the character brought chaos to Comic-Con with the likes of star Peter Dinklage and director Macon Blair in attendance to discuss it.

(L to R) Peter Dinklage, Taylour Paige, Lloyd Kaufman, Macon Blair, Elijah Wood and Jacob Tremblay at the San Diego Comic-Con premiere of 'The Toxic Avengers'. Photo: Cineverse.

Preview:

‘The Toxic Avenger’ landed at this year’s Comic-Con.
Director Macon Blair and star Peter Dinklage talked the movie up.
Fans were also treated to footage.

It has taken a few years for the latest version of classic Troma character ‘The Toxic Avenger’ to make it to screens, but what better place than the San Diego Comic-Con for writer/director Macon Blair, star Peter Dinklage and other cast members to hype it up at a raucous panel?

The Toxic Avenger

"The hero we need now."

NR1 hr 42 minAug 29th, 2025

Showtimes & Tickets

When a downtrodden janitor, Winston Gooze, is exposed to a catastrophic toxic accident, he’s transformed into a new kind of hero: The Toxic Avenger. Now, Toxie... Read the Plot

Not appearing in person, but certainly there in spirit (and via video) was Kevin Bacon, who even broke into song at one point.

“Stayin’ at home going to make you blue / You need the movies and the movies need you,” Bacon sang. “Down to the theater, try your luck / ‘Toxic Avenger,’ show the f**k up.”

What’s the story of ‘The Toxic Avenger’?

Peter Dinklage as “Toxie” in the action, comedy, horror film, 'The Toxic Avenger', a Cineverse release. Photo courtesy of Yana Blajeva/Legendary Pictures.

When a downtrodden janitor, Winston Gooze (Dinklage), is exposed to a catastrophic toxic accident, he’s transformed into a new kind of hero: The Toxic Avenger.

Now, Toxie must rise from outcast to savior, taking on ruthless corporate overlords and corrupt forces who threaten his son, his friends, and his community. In a world where greed runs rampant… justice is best served radioactive.

Lloyd Kaufman on ‘The Toxic Avenger’s history

Producer Lloyd Kaufman at the San Diego Comic-Con premiere of 'The Toxic Avengers'. Photo: Cineverse.

Lloyd Kaufman, the boss of Troma studios, who created the original Toxie (for 1984’s movie), talked about the challenges of battling censors over what was allowed.

He recalled that the MPAA forced the company to cut 20 minutes from the original. But, as he reveals:

“Eventually, people were able to get the director’s cut with the full head-crushing.”

That film spawned a franchise and a cult following –– and now, has led to this brand-new take, which Kaufman happily supports.

This was his comment on the new movie:

“It’s everything we tried and didn’t quite get there”

‘The Toxic Avenger’: The Director and Stars Talk

Director Macon Blair at the San Diego Comic-Con premiere of 'The Toxic Avengers'. Photo: Cineverse.

Director Macon Blair and the cast were overjoyed to be anticipating the movie’s release after worrying that it might not see screens at all.

Blair said he wanted to capture the spirit of the original film without matching its plot beat-for-beat, so he knew the violence had to have the goopy goodness you expect but he also wanted to match what he saw as the warm-hearted nature of the first film.

For Dinklage, his first exposure to Toxie was via a Betamax video at a friend’s house, joking that “there’s always an older brother!” He was persuaded to take on the role because of his appreciation for Blair’s filmmaking style and the environmental message of the movie.

And he revealed that more than 70% of his performance “over 70% of my performance” is down to actor Luisa Guerreiro, who wore the full-body suit and makeup once Winston is transformed into the Toxic Avenger.

Here’s what Dinklage had to say:

“That was a real exercise in trust, in relinquishing something that was important to me. She does a better me than I do of me.”

(L to R) Peter Dinklage and Elijah Wood appear in Hall H at 2025 San Diego Comic-Con for 'The Toxic Avenger'. Photo: Cineverse.

Elijah Wood, a huge fan of horror –– who has starred in and produced his fair share of the genre –– plays one of the new movie’s villains.

He admitted e loved how this ‘Toxic Avenger’ is filled to the brim with ideas and fun and playing with the medium. But he singled out the father-son story between Dinklage and Jacob Tremblay’s characters as central to the charm of the movie.

Finally, Blair discussed what had been added to the movie since its premiere at Fantastic Fest in 2023. But he had to somewhat talk around it for the family-friendly panel requirements:

“We added really just one VFX shot. I believe this is an all-ages crowd. It involves a depiction of a body part and that’s going to be added for theatrical release. I think you’ll notice it.”