Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn Elessar in director Peter Jackson’s ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
Preview:
Andy Serkis says they’re looking for a new actor to play Aragorn.
Viggo Mortensen is not returning to the role for ‘The Hunt for Gollum’.
The movie will shoot in New Zealand this year.
Though ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum’ features some of the familiar key creative types behind the scenes (including Andy Serkis directing and playing the titular creature and franchise overseer Peter Jackson producing), there will be a key change in front of the camera.
News arrives that Viggo Mortensen, who played the heroic, destiny-heavy Aragorn in the first three ‘LOTR’ movies, is not reprising the role for ‘Gollum’.
“I don’t know what’s out there at the moment, but I know there’s a lot of speculation, but let’s just say we are recasting the role and we are on the way to finding someone.”
While Mortensen won’t be back, Kate Winslet has joined the cast and original franchise stalwarts Ian McKellen, Elijah Wood and others are all rumored to return.
When will ‘The Hunt for Gollum’ be on screens?
Warner Bros. and New Line currently have a December 17, 2027 slot ready for this one.
(L to R) Sean Austin, Elijah Wood and Andy Serkis in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’. Photo: New Line Cinema.
List of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ Movies and TV Shows:
‘Ready or Not’ was a breath of fresh air when it came out in 2019: directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (‘Scream’ and ‘Scream VI’), screenwriters Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy, and star Samara Weaving delivered a smart, subversive, often wickedly funny and unapologetically gory horror comedy that poked fun at wealth and marriage.
‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’ reunites the same team and adds some more ingredients, including a new cast and an expanded in-movie mythology, occasionally yielding the same results. The movie is fun, although it takes a long time to get going and a lot of what worked the first time already seems familiar now.
The new film literally opens as the first one ends, with a bloodied Grace Le Domas (Weaving) stumbling out of her in-laws’ burning estate, having survived a brutal game on her wedding day in which her new family must sacrifice her to a demon or face ruination and death. Grace (who immediately starts using her maiden name of MacCaullay again) is whisked to the hospital, where she’s met by her estranged sister Faith (Kathryn Newton), who was called as her emergency contact.
Before the siblings can barely start airing grievances, however, they’re attacked (in a too-brief appearance from Kevin Durand); it turns out that the Le Domas family were part of a council of wealthy, powerful families who secretly rule the world thanks to their worship of Satan, and now that one of the families has been wiped out, the others have one night to kill Grace lest the same misfortune befall them. This time, however, Faith is caught up in the hunt, and the two sisters must face a violent onslaught by not one but four families, including the all-powerful Danforth clan.
‘Ready or Not 2’ gets off to a creaky start: the entire first act is almost all exposition, as first Grace explains the plot of the first film to Faith, and then a smug, subtly amused Elijah Wood – as the council’s unnamed lawyer – lays down the complicated rules of the new game once Grace and Faith are captured (those rules, by the way, are bent or disregarded more than once as we go along). All that throat-clearing takes a long time and slows the pace to a crawl, only punctuated by the first attack on the sisters in the hospital.
Once the game’s afoot, the action picks up again and the first kill (death by industrial washing machine) is morbidly hilarious, thanks to Weaving and Newton’s reactions. Most of the would-be killers this time are barely sketched in as characters – save for the sinister brother-sister act of the Danforths, played by Shawn Hatosy (‘The Pitt’) and ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ icon Sarah Michelle Gellar – which is a bit of a letdown from the first film: the dynamic there, as the Le Domas clan picked at each other while hunting Grace, offered a scathing critique of family that is missing from the new story.
In one funny/not funny early sequence, the Danforth patriarch, played by legendary director David Cronenberg, picks up a bedside phone and mutters ‘Approve the ceasefire,’ while watching footage of a war zone on his TV. No sooner does he hang up then a ‘Breaking News’ banner announces the ceasefire. The idea that a small coterie of very rich, well-connected oligarchs runs the world – a sort of cross between the Illuminati and the High Table of the ‘John Wick’ films – is a prescient and all too timely one, but ‘Ready or Not 2’ more or less pays it lip service and moves on.
The film really shines brightest and comes fully alive when the MacCaullay sisters fight, claw, shoot, and kick their way through the vast new labyrinth of a Danforth-owned resort, although it begins to feel repetitive down the stretch. A more acidic layer of social critique is largely absent this time amidst all the hardcore violence and gore. Two movies in, ‘Ready or Not’ is still entertaining but has lost that fresh feeling.
Although their relationship follows a shopworn narrative arc (the sisters greet each other coldly, fight, make up, fight, make up again, become besties), Weaving and Newton (‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’) make a great team and their interactions do keep ‘Ready or Not 2’ appealing. Weaving’s huge eyes and expressive features only emphasize her star presence, while Newton has undeniable charisma with a jaded undercurrent. Their chemistry makes the siblings’ relationship organic and well-earned.
Gellar and Hatosy make a solid brother-sister act as well, the former working a few extra layers into her character and the latter proving effective as a truly vicious, misogynistic psychopath (with all the money and power in the world at his fingertips). It’s great to see Cronenberg in his extended cameo, and the best of the supporting cast is the ever-efficient lawyer played by Elijah Wood, who’s clearly having himself a grand old time and wants to share it with us.
Directors Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett have their strengths, including an eye for detail and a dark sense of humor, as well as their weaknesses, such as a tendency to edit their fight scenes a little too choppily. Their use of already tired tropes (such as scoring a violent confrontation with an incongruous pop ballad) is matched by their ability to concoct macabre but highly funny set pieces and some outrageous moments of gore.
But while ‘Ready or Not 2’ is moderately entertaining (especially in its second half), this sequel doesn’t sizzle like its predecessor despite doubling down on its protagonists, its world-building, and its undeniably hateful (and rich) villains. If the box office gross leads to a third film, the rules of the game may have to be changed before we’re ready (or not) to return.
‘Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come’ receives a score of 70 out of 100.
What is the plot of ‘Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come’?
After surviving a brutal ‘game’ that resulted in the deaths of her husband and in-laws, Grace MacCaullay learns that the wealthiest and most influential families on Earth have to kill her in a new game or risk losing their power and fortunes. Grace refuses to participate at first – until her younger sister, Faith, is also marked for death.
Who is in the cast of ‘Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come’?
(L to R) Kathryn Newton, Samara Weaving, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Elijah Wood star in ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Samara Weaving, Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Elijah Wood about their work on ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’, Weaving’s return to her character, what it was like for the other actors to join the franchise, the new characters, working with the directors, and what fans of the first movie can expect from the sequel.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Weaving, Newton, Gellar, and Wood, as well as directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett.
Moviefone: To begin with, Sarah Michelle, what would you say to fans sitting down right now in a movie theater to watch this sequel to prepare them for the theatrical experience they are about to have?
Sarah Michelle Gellar: I think that if you love the first one, you’re guaranteed to love the second. But I think the most important thing is to consider that, as popular as the first movie was, they did not rush out a sequel. Radio Silence waited until they knew they had the story and the cast. They really did it right. I think what we do in this one is we really honor the legacy of the first one and just continue that. I would say unhinged is a good word. There’s no setup in this one. You are in it.
MF: Elijah, what would you say to get people excited for this sequel?
Elijah Wood: I mean, get ready for a ride. Like the first film, when that game of Hide and Seek begins, it’s a ride until the end of the film and this movie is no different. The stakes are bigger. It does not let up once it starts. The thing is, it literally starts seconds after the first movie ends. You’re kind of off to the races very quickly.
MF: Samara, is there anything you would like to add to that?
Samara Weaving: Just buckle up. Get ready. It’s going to get weird.
MF: Kathryn, what would you say to prepare fans of the original for this sequel?
Kathryn Newton: I would say have fun and scream. It would be so cool if people walked out of this and saw it again and had something to say every time there was a kill, like a ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ situation. Can we come up with some kind of drinking game or something?
MF: Samara, what was it like for you to return to this franchise and play this character again?
SW: It was a dream. I really didn’t think that I would be able to after the first one because it was such a weird movie and we didn’t know if people would like it or not, because we had such a great time making it. So, the fact that I got to do it again was just the best.
MF: What was it like having Kathryn as a partner this time around?
SW: Oh, so annoying. No, it was so great, because I would get a bit bored on the first one because it would just be me running around like a lunatic. So, it was great, I had a friend on set with this one.
MF: Kathryn, were you a fan of the first film and what has it been like for you to join this series?
KN: I was. I was really honored to be a part of it, and wanted to make the growing fan base, the cult fan base even happier, and hopefully they love it. Just to work with Matt and Tyler again was a dream. They’re the best.
MF: Sarah Michelle, were you a fan of the first movie and what was it like for you to join the series and take on this role?
SMG: I had seen the original. I was a big fan. I got a call one day, and they said, “Have you ever seen ‘Ready or Not’?” I said, “Yeah, of course.” They said, “Well, they’re making a sequel.” I first thought, “Really? It’s been five or six years, and they usually rush them out.” I read it, and I absolutely loved it. Just from reading it on the page, you see it. I said, “I want to meet the boys immediately.” I met the guys on a Zoom the next day, and I think I said yes about a minute into the meeting. I think that’s about how long it took.
MF: Elijah, your character is very mysterious, and we don’t learn a lot about him during the movie. Did you create a backstory for yourself to understand where he comes from and his role in this world?
EW: No, but I certainly thought about it. Matt, Tyler, and I would talk about who this guy is, and where he’s come from. Is he immortal? Has he been around for centuries? Has he been doing this for a long time? Things like that that certainly kind of were in the fabric of what I was thinking for the character. Then my task was to deliver those rules in as interesting a way as I could.
MF: Kathryn, how would you describe the sibling relationship between Grace and Faith and where it stands when the movie starts?
KN: They’re on the rocks. They’ve got things to talk about and they’re not talking, they’re running. There’s no time to be talking. I keep trying to talk and it’s just causing issues. She’s like, “Stop it,” and I’m like, “No.” It’s a little bit of that. There’s a bit of drama, some life and death situations, and we still talk about boys.
MF: Elijah, can you talk about collaborating with directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett on set?
EW: I mean, these guys are so lovely. They are such film fans, such fans of the creation of cinema, and have such enthusiasm that really extends to everybody on set, the cast included, and it is sort of an infectious feeling of we’re all in this thing creating together. It’s very collaborative. I love those guys. They’re lovely and it makes it fun. Listen, they’re very articulate as well, and very clear about what it is that they want. They barely looked stressed.
MF: Sarah Michelle, what was your experience like working with Matt and Tyler?
SMG: They treated everyone with the same dignity from number one on the call sheet to every PA that was on the show. I think that it just makes for a really great experience. I mean, I don’t know how to describe it any better than that. There’s no guessing with them. They can always tell you what they want. You don’t have to drag it out of them. But more than anything, I would say that this was a hard shoot. We had very few days. It was a lot of nights. The weather was not cooperative. They never raised their voice, not once in the entire shoot, and that says a lot. Occasionally, at the end of the night, you could see them pacing, trying to figure out what shots they had to cut, but it was more their creative thought process.
MF: Samara, what was it like for you to work with Matt and Tyler again?
SM: They’re the greatest. They’ve become close friends of mine, so it was just any excuse to hang out with them. I’d take a bullet for them. They’re the best.
MF: Finally, Kathryn, you worked with Matt and Tyler on ‘Abigail’, but what do you love about working with them as filmmakers?
KN: I think Matt and Tyler are the best audience. They love what they do, and I think they don’t ask much of you. Then when you give them something, they really see it and they really elevate it. I felt like on this movie, they really protected my performance because I did a lot of weird things that I didn’t know would work. Then the other thing they do, Matt specifically, I think because it was the second movie together, he knew things I was capable of that I didn’t. It was important to get the horror and the stakes of the movie. He had to make sure I was doing enough. He had to make sure I was being scared enough, or whatever it called for. So, he elevated my performance, and then they kept it together in the edit.
What is the plot of ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’?
Grace MacCaullay (Samara Weaving), the sole survivor of a brutal “game” that resulted in the deaths of her husband and in-laws, learns that her victory comes with a price. Now, the wealthiest and most influential families on Earth must kill her in a new game – or risk losing their power and fortunes. Grace refuses to participate at first but is left with no choice when she learns that her younger sister, Faith (Kathryn Newton), has also been marked for death and must protect her at all costs.
Who is in the cast of ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’?
(Left) Kate Winslet stars in ‘Lee’. (Right) Andy Serkis as Gollum in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers’. Photo: New Line Cinema.
Preview:
Kate Winslet’s in talks to star in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum’.
Andy Serkis is directing and playing a spindly creature.
The movie will shoot in New Zealand this year.
There’s an exciting update following 2024’s news of Gollum acting veteran Andy Serkis stepping into the director’s chair for a new ‘Lord of the Rings’ movie.
With the movie set to shoot across several months this year in New Zealand, Winslet will be relocating to film her scenes.
She joins Serkis (who is back in the performance capture gear once again to bring Gollum to life) and a rumored Elijah Wood (as Frodo) and Ian McKellen (as Gandalf).
What’s the story of ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum’?
Andy Serkis as Gollum in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers’. Photo: New Line Cinema.
Deadline’s latest report brings fresh plot details: the new film follows Aragorn’s perilous quest to capture Gollum before the creature can reveal the Ring’s location to Sauron.
There’s no word yet on whether Viggo Mortensen will be back as Aragorn, but Peter Jackson’s involvement as producer will surely entice as many of the original cast (who make sense, and feature in the story) back as needed.
When will ‘The Hunt for Gollum’ be on screens?
Warner Bros. and New Line currently have a December 17, 2027 release slot ready for this one.
(L to R) Sean Austin, Elijah Wood and Andy Serkis in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’. Photo: New Line Cinema.
List of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ Movies and TV Shows:
The first images from ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’ are online.
Samara Weaving returns, with Kathryn Newton playing her estranged sister.
Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are once again in the director’s chair.
When the first sequel to magician heist movie ‘Now You See Me’ came out, there was widespread dismay that it wasn’t called ‘Now You See Me, Now You Don’t.’ While this year’s threequel has finally employed that title, the filmmakers behind 2019’s horror comedy thriller ‘Ready or Not’ are not wasting their own opportunity for a title pun.
Returning from the original (since, er, she was pretty much the only one to survive), is Samara Weaving’s Grace, still fighting for her life (see more on the story below).
The original movie followed a young bride (Weaving’s Grace) as she joined her new husband’s (Mark O’Brien) rich, eccentric family (which included Adam Brody, Henry Czerny, Andie MacDowell) in a time-honored tradition that turned into a lethal game with everyone fighting for their survival.
Writers Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy returned to craft the chaos, and we have an official synopsis: Moments after surviving an all-out attack from the Le Domas family, Grace discovers she’s reached the next level of the nightmarish game –– and this time with her estranged sister Faith (Kathryn Newton) at her side.
Grace has one chance to survive, keep her sister alive, and claim the High Seat of the Council that controls the world. Four rival families are hunting her for the throne, and whoever wins rules it all.
Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett are clearly happy to be back at it:
“We’re thrilled to be returning to the world of ‘Ready or Not’ with Samara, Brett, Avery and Andrew and so excited to work with this immensely talented cast and the incredible artists across every department joining the ‘Ready or Not’ family.”
When will ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’ be in theaters?
Everyone has a favorite Christmas movie, right? Whether it’s ‘A Christmas Story,’ ‘Elf’ or even ‘Die Hard,’ Christmas movies play ad nauseam on television throughout the month of December.
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But where are all the Thanksgiving Day films?
In honor of the annual holiday, Moviefone is counting down the top twenty Thanksgiving Day themed movies of all time!
Now, to qualify for this list the film must either take place at Thanksgiving or involve the holiday in some way, and we are only counting theatrical releases, so sorry ‘A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.’
2009’s ‘The Blind Side’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
The story of Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron), a homeless and traumatized boy who became an All American football player and first round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman (Sandra Bullock) and her family.
In an attempt to remind her family of their privilege and help them bond, Ms. Anna Barker (Courtney Henggeler) invites Pilgrim reenactors to stay with them over Thanksgiving. When the “actors” refuse to break character, the Barker family learns that there is such a thing as too much gratitude.
Join Butterball the turkey and Missy the Dodo as they come to the rescue of Thanksgiving and embark on an unforgettable, clock-racing countdown to a holiday dinner. It’s a Thanksgiving Movie for the ages.
Nelson (Keanu Reeves)is a man devoted to his advertising career in San Francisco. One day, while taking a driving test at the DMV, he meets Sara (Charlize Theron). She is very different from the other women in his life. Nelson causes her to miss out on taking the test and later that day she tracks him down. One thing leads to another and Nelson ends up living with her through a November that will change his life forever.
1992’s ‘Scent of a Woman’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Charlie Simms (Chris O’Donnell) is a student at a private preparatory school who comes from a poor family. To earn the money for his flight home to Gresham, Oregon for Christmas, Charlie takes a job over Thanksgiving looking after retired U.S. Army officer Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade (Al Pacino), a cantankerous middle-aged man who lives with his niece and her family.
Country girl Rebecca (Carla Gugino) has spent most of her life on a farm in South Dakota, and, when she goes away to college in Los Angeles, Rebecca immediately feels out of place in the daunting urban setting. She is befriended by a savvy party animal named Crawl (Pauley Shore), who convinces the ambivalent Rebecca to stay in the city. When Thanksgiving break rolls around, Rebecca, no longer an innocent farm girl, invites Crawl back to South Dakota, where he pretends to be her fiancé.
Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) faces a parent’s worst nightmare when his 6-year-old daughter, Anna, and her friend go missing. The only lead is an old motorhome that had been parked on their street. The head of the investigation, Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal), arrests the driver, but a lack of evidence forces Loki to release his only suspect. Dover, knowing that his daughter’s life is at stake, decides that he has no choice but to take matters into his own hands.
Quirky and rebellious April Burns (Katie Holmes) lives with her boyfriend (Derek Luke) in a low-rent New York City apartment miles away from her emotionally distant family. But when she discovers that her mother (Patricia Clarkson) has a fatal form of breast cancer, she invites the clan to her place for Thanksgiving. While her father (Oliver Platt) struggles to drive her family into the city, April — an inexperienced cook — runs into kitchen trouble and must ask a neighbor for help.
1995’s ‘Home for the Holidays’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
After losing her job, making out with her soon-to-be former boss, and finding out that her daughter plans to spend Thanksgiving with her boyfriend, Claudia Larson (Holly Hunter) faces spending the holiday with her unhinged family.
Siblings Wednesday (Christina Ricci) and Pugsley Addams (Jimmy Workman) will stop at nothing to get rid of Pubert, the new baby boy adored by parents Gomez (Raul Julia) and Morticia (Anjelica Huston). Things go from bad to worse when the new “black widow” nanny, Debbie Jellinsky (Joan Cusack), launches her plan to add Fester to her collection of dead husbands.
For decades, next-door neighbors and former friends John (Jack Lemmon) and Max (Walter Matthau) have feuded, trading insults and wicked pranks. When an attractive widow (Ann-Margret) moves in nearby, their bad blood erupts into a high-stakes rivalry full of naughty jokes and adolescent hijinks.
A luxury condo manager leads a staff of workers to seek payback on the Wall Street swindler who defrauded them. With only days until the billionaire gets away with the perfect crime, the unlikely crew of amateur thieves enlists the help of petty crook Slide to steal the $20 million they’re sure is hidden in the penthouse.
‘Thanksgiving’ Parade from TriStar Pictures and Spyglass Media Group, LLC Thanksgiving.
After a Black Friday riot ends in tragedy, a mysterious Thanksgiving-inspired killer terrorizes Plymouth, Massachusetts – the birthplace of the holiday. Picking off residents one by one, what begins as random revenge killings are soon revealed to be part of a larger, sinister holiday plan.
Two turkeys from opposite sides of the tracks must put aside their differences and team up to travel back in time to change the course of history—and get turkey off the holiday menu for good.
1987’s ‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
An irritable marketing executive, Neal Page (Steve Martin), is heading home to Chicago for Thanksgiving when a number of delays force him to travel with a well meaning but overbearing shower curtain ring salesman, Del Griffith (John Candy).
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with legendary actor Kevin Bacon about his work on ‘The Toxic Avenger’, the original movie and why he wanted to be involved with the reboot, his approach to playing Bob Garbinger and his relationship with his brother, working with Elijah Wood and director Macon Blair, and his own personal history with Moviefone.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video payer above to watch our interviews with Bacon, director Macon Blair, and producer Lloyd Kaufman.
Kevin Bacon as “Bob Garbinger” in the action, comedy, horror film, ‘The Toxic Avenger’, a Cineverse release. Photo courtesy of Yana Blajeva/Legendary Pictures.
Moviefone: To begin with, were you a fan of the original movie and why did you want to be a part of this new version?
Kevin Bacon: I don’t know if I was not really the right age or whatever, but I didn’t really know that much about the original. But of course, I went back and not only watched the original, but also of did a Troma deep dive and really loved it. I mean, really when you think about it, it’s a combination of independent filmmaking and popcorn filmmaking. Which are two things that I really like, but a lot of times they don’t live in the same movie. You know what I mean? Because these oftentimes are Oscar contenders or dramas, that kind of stuff, and popcorn movies are big, flashy and cost a lot of money. So, to me, to hit that sweet spot is something that not a lot of people have done. That’s the thing that I really admired about the whole world of Troma and came to admire. I also knew Macon Blair but didn’t really know him personally. I knew his work and I thought that he had a good take on this. Clearly, Pete Dinklage was great. I mean, it’s a great cast so it was kind of a no brainer.
MF: Can you talk about your approach to playing Bob Garbinger and why you decided to play him that specific way? Was that how he was described in the script, or did you find the character improvising on set?
KB: We did do a lot of improvising, although I think that a lot of what’s in there is what Macon wrote, which is fantastic. But he is a guy that is very collaborative and very interested in improvising in terms of how Bob would be manifested in terms of the hair and the clothing and the whole thing. That was, again, ideas that we bounced back and forth. When you really get into the weeds on something like that, you forget what came from what. I would have to go back and read the script to see what was in there, but I do know that I was given free rein. Anything can happen here. So, I thought a lot about televangelists. I’ve thought about today’s billionaires who oftentimes have very larger than life characters. In the old days, the billionaires were the very quiet guys behind the closed doors and in back rooms and that’s not really the case anymore. They’re more like personalities in your face. So, to sort of embrace that and just push things as far as I could, knowing that hopefully Macon was going to protect me from embarrassing myself too much.
Elijah Wood as “Fritz Garbinger” in the action, comedy, horror film, ‘The Toxic Avenger’, a Cineverse release. Photo courtesy of Yana Blajeva/Legendary Pictures.
MF: Can you talk about Bob’s relationship with his brother Fritz, and what was it like working with Elijah Wood?
KB: I mean, I didn’t know Elijah’s whole look and everything. Of course, I had seen drawings, so I kind of knew where I was going, but to see him come out and embody that, it was so great. They’ve got this very abusive codependent relationship, but, again, just funny. And Elijah, we’d not worked together before and he was very focused, hilarious and just a lot of fun.
MF: Can you talk about your experience working with director Macon Blair and at this point in your career, what is it like for you to work with a new generation of filmmakers?
KB: Look, I mean, I am a huge fan of the movies and I get especially excited when I see someone who is doing something right out of the gate or in the early stages. I mean, I’ll give you an example. I saw a movie years ago called ‘Slither’ and I thought, “Wow, this is well done.” No one’s going to be walking the red carpet at the Oscars for ‘Slither’, but I can tell that this is an excellent filmmaker, and I got a chance to do James Gunn‘s next movie (‘Super’). James comes from the Troma world of very small independent productions and not completely outside of the tone of ‘Toxic Avenger’. Then the next movie James did was ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’. Just recently I reached out to the guys that directed ‘Final Destination Bloodlines’ just because I want to talk to people that are making movies. I’m not dismissive of things that are the genre because I feel like there’s a lot of genius that’s kind of come out of that. I mean, in his own way (Steven) Spielberg was a genre director when he started, so that’s an exciting thing for me. I’m often hoping to get in on the ground floor with someone like James Gunn or John Watts, who I worked with on ‘Cop Car’, which was a similar situation with Macon on this film. What usually happens is they lose my number, all of them. They become much more famous and in demand than I am and then suddenly I can’t get in touch with them.
Director Macon Blair at the San Diego Comic-Con premiere of ‘The Toxic Avengers’. Photo: Cineverse.
MF: Finally, Moviefone has been proud to partner with ‘The Toxic Avenger’ for this new release and explore the nostalgia of both brands. What is your history with Moviefone? Do you remember calling for showtimes back in the day?
KB: 100%. Oh, my God, yes! Yeah, of course I called up Moviefone. It was amazing. With a little bit of work, I could probably do the voice because it was just such the classic announcer voice. “Hello, welcome to Moviefone.” Or do you want me to be Bob Garbinger? “Hello, this is Bob Garbinger. Welcome to Moviefone. Press one for ‘Toxic Avenger’.”
MF: Just so you know, you can call 802-377-FILM now and hear Peter Dinklage as the Toxic Avenger doing the Mr. Moviefone voice.
KB: That’s cool. I got to do that.
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What is the plot of ‘The Toxic Avenger’?
When a downtrodden janitor, Winston Gooze (Peter 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 (Jacob Tremblay), his friends, and his community. In a world where greed runs rampant… justice is best served radioactive.
Who is in the cast of ‘The Toxic Avenger’?
Peter Dinklage as Winston Gooze / the Toxic Avenger (voice)
Luisa Guerreiro as the Toxic Avenger (suit performer)
Jane Levy as Cheerful Insurance Representative (voice)
Luisa Guerreiro as “Toxie” in the action, comedy, horror film, ‘The Toxic Avenger,’ a Cineverse release. Photo courtesy of Yana Blajeva/Legendary Pictures.
List of Movies and TV Shows in ‘The Toxic Avenger’ Franchise:
Luisa Guerreiro as “Toxie” in the action, comedy, horror film, ‘The Toxic Avenger,’ a Cineverse release. Photo courtesy of Yana Blajeva/Legendary Pictures.
Peter Dinklage as “Winston Gooze” in the action, comedy, horror film, ‘The Toxic Avenger’, a Cineverse release. Photo courtesy of Yana Blajeva/Legendary Pictures.
While it’s not going to win any Oscars, ‘The Toxic Avenger’ reboot is the best possible updated version of the 1984 cult classic. Director Macron Blair clearly understood the assignment and delivers over-the-top action, violence, and humor, but also injects the movie with an emotional core that makes you care about the characters.
Peter Dinklage’s performance as the pre-Toxic Avenger Winston Gooze anchors the film and creates a sympathetic character for the audience to root for. His relationship with his son played by Jacob Tremblay is the emotional heart of the film, and they are joined by hilariously over-the-top performances from the film’s villains, played by Kevin Bacon and Elijah Wood.
Story and Direction
Director Macon Blair at the San Diego Comic-Con premiere of ‘The Toxic Avengers’. Photo: Cineverse.
The movie begins by introducing us to Winston Gooze, a down on his luck janitor trying to raise his teenage stepson Wade (Jacob Tremblay), after his wife’s sudden death. Winston works at a factory owned by billionaire health guru Bob Garbinger, who with the help of a crime boss is manufacturing toxic beauty products. We also meet J.J. Doherty (Taylour Paige), an investigative journalist trying to expose Garbinger’s illegal practices after he had her mentor killed.
With evidence in hand to ruin Garbinger, he sends a group of assassins led by his brother Fritz Garbinger (Elijah Wood) to kill J.J. But they mistakenly kill Gooze instead and dump his body in a pool of chemical waste, transforming him into the hero the Toxic Avenger (played by suit performer Luisa Guerreiro).
Using his newfound powers, Winston becomes a local hero as the Toxic Avenger and tries to reconnect with Wade. But when Bob discovers his identity, he dispatches Fritz and an army of assassins to capture Wade and lure the Toxic Avenger to his death. Now, Winston must team up with J.J. to save Wade and stop Bob for good.
Screenwriter/Director Macon Blair on the set of the action, comedy, horror film, ‘The Toxic Avenger’, a Cineverse release. Photo courtesy of Yana Blajeva/Legendary Pictures.
Director Macon Blair, who helmed last year’s ‘Brothers’ and starred in ‘Blue Ruin’ and ‘Green Room’ is one filmmaker that you want to keep your eyes on. Blair has elevated the source material and delivered a script that while incorporating the tone, violence and humor of the original, focuses on the relationship between Winston and Wade, creating an emotional core for the film and forcing you care about what happens to these strange characters.
Blair’s direction is also impressive, moving the camera in an interesting way, and using practical effects rather than VFX, which helps with the campy tone. Blair accomplishes his goal with ‘Toxic Avenger’, recapturing the strange tone and over-the-top gore and campiness of the original, while creating something new, with a real heart, that audiences can relate to.
Cast and Performances
(L to R) Peter Dinklage as “Winston Gooze” and Jacob Tremblay as “Wade” in the action, comedy,horror film, ‘The Toxic Avenger’, a Cineverse release. Photo courtesy of Yana Blajeva/Legendary Pictures.
Peter Dinklage was perfectly cast as Winston Gooze and beings so much heart and sympathy to the role. However, Dinklage’s performance as the Toxic Avenger is a voice role only, but suit performer Luisa Guerreiro does fantastic work and her performance with Dinklage’s added audio works seamlessly.
Jacob Tremblay, who first came to fame as a child actor in films like ‘Room’ and ‘Wonder’, is now a young man and once you get over that shock, he gives a heartfelt performance as Wade. Tremblay has great chemistry with Dinklage and is at his best in their scenes together early in the film.
Kevin Bacon as “Bob Garbinger” in the action, comedy, horror film, ‘The Toxic Avenger’, a Cineverse release. Photo courtesy of Yana Blajeva/Legendary Pictures.
The film’s villains are all great, including the over-the-top Kevin Bacon, who seems to be having a lot of fun chewing up the scenery. Julia Davis also gives an excellent evil performance as Bob Garbinger’s love interest and assistant, but its Elijah Wood as Fritz Garbinger that really steals the film, playing the character as a dangerous yet sympathetic villain, who is just looking for his brother’s love and approval.
Actress Taylour Paige, last seen in ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’ as Eddie Murphy’s daughter, is fine in her role but ultimately not give enough to do and gets lost in the film’s shocking moments and its various over-the-top characters.
Final Thoughts
Elijah Wood as “Fritz Garbinger” in the action, comedy, horror film, ‘The Toxic Avenger’, a Cineverse release. Photo courtesy of Yana Blajeva/Legendary Pictures.
Again, while it’s not going to win any Oscars, ‘The Toxic Avenger’ is exactly what it should be, a gore-filled, campy, over-the-top remake of the original. Director Macon Blair injects the film with enough heart for the audience to truly care about the characters, and the cast is excellent, led by a commanding performance from Peter Dinklage, and wild performances from Kevin Bacon and Elijah Wood. Fans of the original and the genre in general, should be very happy with the new film.
‘The Toxic Avenger’ (2025) receives a score of 75 out of 100.
Luisa Guerreiro as “Toxie” in the action, comedy, horror film, ‘The Toxic Avenger,’ a Cineverse release. Photo courtesy of Yana Blajeva/Legendary Pictures.
What is the plot of ‘The Toxic Avenger’?
When a downtrodden janitor, Winston Gooze (Peter 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 (Jacob Tremblay), his friends, and his community. In a world where greed runs rampant… justice is best served radioactive.
Who is in the cast of ‘The Toxic Avenger’?
Peter Dinklage as Winston Gooze / the Toxic Avenger (voice)
Luisa Guerreiro as the Toxic Avenger (suit performer)
Jane Levy as Cheerful Insurance Representative (voice)
Luisa Guerreiro as “Toxie” in the action, comedy, horror film, ‘The Toxic Avenger,’ a Cineverse release. Photo courtesy of Yana Blajeva/Legendary Pictures.
List of Movies and TV Shows in ‘The Toxic Avenger’ Franchise:
(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?
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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.”
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.”
When will ‘The Toxic Avenger’ be in theaters?
Toxie will be creating vengeful havoc on big screens from August 29th.
(L to R) Peter Dinklage, Taylour Paige, Elijah Wood and Jacob Tremblay at the San Diego Comic-Con premiere of ‘The Toxic Avengers’. Photo: Cineverse.
(Left) Sarah Michelle Gellar in ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’. Photo: 20th Century Fox Television. (Right) Elijah Wood in ‘Bookworm’. Photo: Rialto Distribution.
Preview:
Sarah Michelle Gellar and Elijah Wood have boarded the ‘Ready or Not’ sequel.
Samara Weaving is returning to star.
The movie is about to start shooting.
The cameras are about to roll on the follow-up to 2019 horror hit ‘Ready or Not,’ which means that directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett –– part of the filmmaking collective known as Radio Silence alongside producers Justin Martinez and Chad Villella –– are getting ready to unleash the chaos of games-turned-deadly once again.
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Following the success of the original –– $6 million budget with more than $57 million at the box office worldwide, the sequel, which we now know is rather wonderfully titled ‘Ready or Not: Here I Come,’ is adding some cast members to join the established Samara Weaving (who will reprise the role of Grace from the original) and more recent addition Kathryn Newton.
They’re not the only fresh faces signing up to work on the new movie: Shawn Hatosy, Néstor Carbonell, Kevin Durand (who, like Newton, worked with the directors on vampire romp ‘Abigail’) and directing legend/occasional actor David Cronenberg are rounding out the cast.
The cast of ‘Ready or Not’. Photo: Fox Searchlight Pictures.
The original movie followed a young bride (Weaving’s Grace) as she joined her new husband’s (Mark O’Brien) rich, eccentric family (which included Adam Brody, Henry Czerny, Andie MacDowell) in a time-honored tradition that turned into a lethal game with everyone fighting for their survival.
Spoiler alert in case you didn’t see the film: Weaving’s character was just about the only person to make it out of the game alive.
Which means it’s hard to predict what will happen in the follow-up. Could there be previously unseen family members who come out of the woodwork to threaten Grace? Will she find herself in a different but equally dangerous weird life-threatening situation?
We can only guess at this point, but with writers Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy returning to craft the chaos, it’ll surely be just as lethal.
‘Ready or Not: Here I Come’: The filmmakers speak
Director Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, left, and Director Tyler Gillett on the set of Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group’s ‘Scream VI.’
Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett are clearly happy to be back at it:
“We’re thrilled to be returning to the world of ‘Ready or Not’ with Samara, Brett, Avery and Andrew and so excited to work with this immensely talented cast and the incredible artists across every department joining the ‘Ready or Not’ family.”
And here’s what Searchlight Pictures president Matthew Greenfield had to say:
“We’re beyond excited to make another film with the phenomenal Radio Silence. With ‘Ready or Not: Here I Come,’ we get to go on another ride with the amazing Samara Weaving, mix in awesome new voices and bring audiences a fresh take that’s every bit as twisted and fun as the first one. This is for those who’ve been waiting, and those who didn’t see it coming.”
Where else have we seen Sarah Michelle Gellar and Elijah wood?
(L to R) Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Ryan Phillippe in ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’. Photo: Columbia Pictures.
Sarah Michelle Gellar is no stranger to the world of sci-fi and fantasy, particularly on the small screen. She’s still best known for playing Buffy Summers, the main character of much-loved series ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer,’ and is an executive producer on the rebooted version of the show that is now in development.
But far and away on his resume in terms of impact is his work on Peter Jackson’s three giant ‘Lord of the Rings’ movies, in which he played Frodo Baggins.
Since then, he’s also become something of a producer, helping filmmakers get their work on screens.
When will ‘Ready or Not: Here I Come’ be in theaters?
Backers Searchlight Pictures haven’t yet announced when the sequel will be causing chaos on screens, but with production gearing up, a 2026 release surely isn’t out of the question.
Elijah Wood in ‘Bookworm’. Photo: Rialto Distribution.
