Peter Dinklage Unveils His 'Mop-Wielding Superhero' in 'The Toxic Avenger Unrated' Preview at Comic-Con
Kicking off the first day of the convention in famed Hall H on Thursday, July 24, filmmakers behind The Toxic Avenger Unrated (in theaters Aug. 29) treated fans to an early glimpse of the long-awaited superhero reboot.
Dinklage, 56, who plays janitor Winston Gooze and voices the titular mutant vigilante he becomes after a poisonous freak accident, took the stage alongside costars Wood, 44, Jacob Tremblay and Taylour Paige, as well as writer-director Macon Blair and producer Lloyd Kaufman.
Dinklage called taking on the iconic and slimy role of "mop-wielding superhero" Toxie 'an easy yes' thanks to a personal hero: filmmaker and fellow panelist Kaufman, who created the original Toxic Avenger film of 1984, set in Dinklage's native New Jersey.
'Environmental concerns are an ongoing thing, now more than ever," said the Game of Thrones Emmy winner. "The great way to get into that is through satire, through the backdoor, through humor.'
Dinklage also said he was a 'huge fan' of Blair. 'This just felt so perfect and necessary and needed.'
Wood's appearance in the new Toxic Avenger as Fritz Garbinger shocked fans when the film's trailer premiered in September 2023. Following a Fantastic Fest premiere that year, Blair's film was stalled due to difficulties in securing a distributor. Cineverse and Iconic Events Releasing will release an unrated version of the film beginning Aug. 29.
'There's a beating heart in there,' said Wood when asked about playing the apparently villainous Fritz. Overall, he added, 'I love the horror genre because of the possibilities. This movie is filled to the brim with ideas, and fun and playing with the medium.'
When asked for the most charming thing about the movie, Paige, 34, quipped, 'That I'm in it.' The actress also gave the disclaimer that as a new mother she's 'three months postpartum... I can't put sentences together.'
Tremblay, 18, plays Winston's sulky son Wade. His character's feelings toward his onscreen father differed from how he felt about Dinklage, he said, explaining, "I had to hold it together and just pretend I didn't absolutely love this guy.'
Dinklage returned the favor, calling the cast 'top-knotch," including his body double, Luisa Guerreiro, who plays Toxie in a suit of prosthetics.
"Over 70% of my performance is not me,' he explained. 'For me, that was an exercise in trust, in relinquishing something that was important to me… [Guerreiro] studied all my movements like a hawk and does a better me than I do.'
https://people-app.onelink.me/HNIa/kz7l4cuf
Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The 1984 Toxic Avenger film, starring Mark Torgl in the lead role, was followed by three sequels, as well as a brief animated children's TV show, a stage musical, a video game and a Marvel comic.
The Toxic Avenger Unrated, costarring Julia Davis, Jonny Coyne and Kevin Bacon, is in theaters Aug. 29. San Diego Comic-Con 2025 runs July 24 to 27.
Read the original article on People
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
2 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
George Lucas finally comes to Comic-Con to give a preview of his new museum
SAN DIEGO (AP) — George Lucas is finally coming to the stage at Comic-Con. And while 'Star Wars' is sure to get a mention, the 81-year-old is making his debut appearance at the San Diego pop cultural extravaganza for a more earthbound reason: a preview of his long-in-the-works Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles. The Sunday panel discussion in Comic-Con's vaunted Hall H will act as a relatively quiet closing act to the four-day festival that brought its usual series of big, bombastic looks at upcoming sci-fi and superhero projects. The museum-centered session is also meant to be a broader discussion of the new institution's subject matter: the histories and traditions of narrative art across time and cultures. Lucas will be joined by fellow filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro and art director Doug Chiang, who has worked on a steady series of 'Star Wars' films starting with the Lucas-directed prequels in 1999. Queen Latifah will act as moderator. Lucas is easily on the Mount Rushmore of figures whose work has had the greatest inspiration on the kind of films and other pop cultural celebrated annually in Hall H at Comic-Con. But the convention wasn't a common showcase for blockbuster films when he was directing them himself. He sold 'Star Wars' and Lucasfilm to The Walt Disney Co. in 2012, and Disney has used different venues to make big splashy presentations about its properties. The museum founded by Lucas and his wife, businesswoman Mellody Hobson, is set to open next year in Exposition Park, near the Los Angeles Coliseum, several of the city's other museums, and the University of Southern California. The 11-acre campus and 300,000-square-foot building designed by architect Ma Yansong includes galleries, two theaters and related spaces.
San Francisco Chronicle
3 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
George Lucas reveals new details about Lucas Museum during Comic-Con 2025
George Lucas made his first-ever appearance at San Diego Comic-Con, offering a first look at the long-anticipated Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. The panel, held in the convention's largest venue, drew more than 6,000 attendees and closed out the four-day event with one of its most widely attended sessions on Sunday, July 27. Joined by director Guillermo del Toro, Lucasfilm executive Doug Chiang and moderator Queen Latifah, the 'Star Wars' director discussed the museum's mission and revealed new details ahead of its 2026 opening in Los Angeles' Exposition Park. 'Society cannot exist without a common belief system,' Lucas said. 'And that's where illustration is vital to show you what that means in everyday life.' He described the museum as 'a temple to the people's art.' The $1 billion institution, co-founded by Lucas and his wife, Mellody Hobson, will focus on narrative art across cultures and periods — from ancient cave paintings to comic books and digital media. The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art was originally proposed for San Francisco, where Lucas aimed to build the institution in the Presidio on a former Army commissary site at Crissy Field near the Golden Gate Bridge. Despite strong political support from figures including then-Gov. Jerry Brown and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the Presidio Trust ultimately rejected the proposal, citing concerns over the scale and design. Lucas then explored a location in Chicago, which also fell through following a legal challenge from a local preservation group. After years of delays and shifting plans, Lucas selected Los Angeles' Exposition Park in 2017 as the museum's permanent home. Del Toro, who serves on the museum's board, compared the museum's focus to the canonization of pop culture. 'Imagine if we only had classical music, and rock 'n' roll was never created?' he said. 'This is rock 'n' roll and rock 'n' roll needs to be enshrined.' Chiang noted that comic and magazine art were once 'looked down upon,' but said the museum will elevate underrecognized creators. 'They are acknowledging and giving respect to artists who really haven't been highlighted before,' he said. The panel ended with a standing ovation. The museum remains on track to open next year despite recent layoffs and leadership changes.
7 hours ago
'Bachelorette' alum Hannah Brown marries Adam Woolard in France: ‘Mr. and Mrs. Woolard'
The couple exchanged vows at Domaine du Mont Leuze on Saturday, July 26. 7:25 Hannah Brown is officially off the market! Former "The Bachelorette" star announced she married Adam Woolard over the weekend. In a joint Instagram post on Sunday, Brown shared a stunning wedding photo with Woolard, introducing themselves as "Mr. and Mrs. Woolard 🤍." The nuptials took place on Saturday at Domaine du Mont Leuze in France, attended by 101 guests, according to People. "We wanted something really timeless and classic, and really just the celebration of our love with our friends and family," Brown told the outlet. For the special day, Brown wore a corseted ball gown with intricate leaf embroidery, paired with Jimmy Choo Staz Mesh Bow Pointed Pumps, while Woolard looked sharp in a classic black tuxedo. "I feel like it is so classic, timeless, but also feels a little unique. I love it," Brown shared. "I always knew I wanted to take up space on my wedding day because there's so many times in life, especially as women, that we feel like we need to be smaller. On my wedding day, I didn't want to feel that at all. I feel like a princess, and I feel like that's exactly how you should feel on your wedding day." Woolard also expressed his excitement, telling People he had always envisioned the moment of seeing Brown walk down the aisle. "I have always had a very clear picture of standing up at the altar and looking out at the audience and really connecting with everybody," Woolard said. "But then seeing Hannah walk down, I think is something that I've always had a very clear picture of and how I would feel in that moment. And I just, as a man, knowing that I'm going to get married, I've always had that image in my mind." The couple, who chose to live apart before their wedding, shared that they're looking forward to moving in together and "putting down roots" in Nashville. "We're really focusing on making this house a home together," Brown shared. "Spending time with our families and just having a little bit of a slower pace for just a little bit." Brown first gained recognition on season 23 of "The Bachelor" in 2018, finishing in the top seven, before becoming the lead on season 15 of "The Bachelorette." Brown met Woolard on a dating app, and they announced their engagement in August 2023, sharing a sweet carousel of photos on Instagram, including one where they touched foreheads as Brown showed off her engagement ring. "so happy," she wrote in the caption at the time. "i love our steady love. ❤️." In addition to "The Bachelorette," Brown also competed on season 28 of " Dancing with the Stars," winning the competition with professional dancer Alan Bersten.
