While most people naturally know Peter Dinklage best for playing Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones, he also has some comic book movie cred on his resume thanks to X-Men: Days of Future Past and Avengers: Infinity War. Now Dinklage is adding a third item to that portion of his resume, but it won’t be another Marvel or DC feature. Instead, Dinklage has been tapped to lead the Toxic Avenger reboot.
A new take on The Toxic Avenger has been in the works for approximately a decade now, with Legendary Entertainment having handled this latest iteration of the project for the past two years. Now Deadline reports that Peter Dinklage has been cast as the eponymous protagonist. Macon Blair of I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore fame is on board to write and direct.
The original Toxic Avenger was released in 1984 by Troma Entertainment, a film production company known for its low-budget offerings. The movie, which subverted the superhero genre much like the Deadpool movies have done in recent years, followed a 98-pound weakling who falls into a vat of toxic waste, mutating him into a hulking monstrosity. With his new powers, the now-Toxic Avenger (nicknamed Toxie) protects the people of his town from crime and corruption.
While the original movie didn’t make a splash during its initial theatrical run, it slowly became a cult favorite and spawned three sequels: 1989’s The Toxic Avenger Part II, The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie (which was released towards the end of 1989), and 2000’s Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV. An animated spinoff series called Toxic Crusaders also briefly aired in 1991. Now the time has come to reboot the property, and Peter Dinklage will be the one bringing the character to life.
While Peter Dinklage’s previous outings as Bolivar Trask in X-Men: Days of Future Past and Eitri in Avengers: Infinity War were PG-13 affairs, if this new Toxic Avenger movie is anything like its predecessor, this will most likely be an R-rated cinematic romp. It’s also worth mentioning that Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz, who directed the original Toxic Avenger together, will produce the reboot.
The Toxic Avenger is just one of several projects Peter Dinklage has lined up following Game of Thrones wrapping up its eight-season run on HBO last year. His other upcoming work includes starring in the musical Cyrano (based on the 1897 drama Cyrano de Bergerac), teaming with fellow Game of Thrones actor Jason Momoa for the vampire movie Good Bad & Undead, and lending his voice to the animated movie Hitpig. Dinklage recently starred in I Care a Lot, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and has been acquired by Netflix for distribution.
You can currently hear Peter Dinklage voicing Phil Betterman in The Croods: A New Age, which kicked off its theatrical run last week and will be available on VOD sometime in December. As for what movies are supposed to play in theaters next year, check out our 2021 release schedule for that information.
