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Peter Dinklage Debuts Gruesome Mop-Wielding Superhero in The Toxic Avenger Unrated Comic-Con Preview
The cast and creators of the upcoming horror-comedy reboot brought blood, satire, and sincerity to San Diego Comic-Con, with Peter Dinklage leading the charge as mutant janitor-turned-hero Toxie.
Peter Dinklage stepped into Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con on Thursday and unleashed a mop-wielding monster. The Game of Thrones alum stars in The Toxic Avenger Unrated, a bold reboot of the cult 1984 gorefest, and fans were treated to an exclusive first look at the film’s unrated carnage.
Dinklage plays Winston Gooze, a down-on-his-luck janitor who becomes the disfigured antihero Toxie after a run-in with toxic waste. The panel featured co-stars Elijah Wood, Jacob Tremblay, Taylour Paige, and director Macon Blair, who joined producer Lloyd Kaufman (creator of the original film) to preview what Blair called a “goopy” yet “sweet” reimagining.
From toxic waste to mutant hero
According to People, Dinklage described his decision to take the role as “an easy yes,” citing Kaufman as a longtime influence. The actor recalled watching the original on Betamax in New Jersey and being captivated by its crude humor and environmental satire.
In the reboot, Winston’s transformation into Toxie comes via a gruesome chemical accident—a scene partially shown during the panel, with censored violence and bleeped profanity. Though Dinklage lends his voice and mannerisms, he revealed that stunt performer Luisa Guerreiro physically embodied the mutated Toxie in full prosthetics.
“Over 70% of my performance is not me,” Dinklage admitted. “She studied all my movements like a hawk and does a better me than I do.”
Sincerity beneath the slime
While the film promises outrageous violence—director Blair teased a practical effect involving a head lodged in a car engine—the panel took a surprisingly earnest turn. Elijah Wood, who plays villain Fritz Garbinger, praised the film’s creativity and the emotional thread between Winston and his son Wade, portrayed by Tremblay.
The younger actor admitted he had to “pretend [he] didn’t to absolutely love” Dinklage while filming. For Blair, capturing the chaos and charm of the original without copying its plot was key, per Variety. The Toxic Avenger Unrated opens in theaters August 29.
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