There are superheroes, and then there’s The Toxic Avenger, pegged as the first superhero to be born from toxic waste. Deadline reports that the Sausage Party co-director, who previously directed the more family-friendly animated films Shrek 2, Monsters Vs. Aliens, and Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, has been hired to helm a remake of the 1984 original. If not, Troma is known for its low-budget, B-movies, of which Toxic Avenger is perhaps its greatest hit.
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Take the Den of Geek 2016 Reader Survey for a Chance to Win a 0 Amazon Voucher Right Here! According to Variety, Archer’s Mike Arnold and The Grackle’s Chris Poole will handle writing duties on the movie.
In a statement, Storyscape Entertainment’s Richard Saperstein called Vernon “the flawless director to bring this iconoclastic franchise back to life”, citing his “subversive comedy” chops, so it at least seems like the remake will be bringing the laughs, however inappropriate.
Richard Saperstein’s Storyscape Entertainment, a new joint venture between Saperstein and Bob Cooper, will produce the film alongside Akiva Goldsman’s Weed Road and Charlie Corwin. Additionally, the duo who conceived and directed the original films, Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz, keep the legacy alive as executive producers. Interestingly, just one month after its release, Sausage Party, Vernon’s recent R-rated co-directorial effort with Greg Tiernan, has already yielded a $113.5 million global gross on the back of a $19 million budget investment.
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The film is being billed as a “re-imagining” of the franchise from a more “grounded and mainstream” perspective, which presumably means it’ll go lighter on the deliberately offensive ethnic and sexual humor compared to the Troma versions.
