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The dark comedy film, The Toxic Avenger, a reboot of the 1984 cult classic, was written and directed by Macon Blair and released in the US on August 29, 2025. The film stars Peter Dinklage as the titular hero, alongside Kevin Bacon as the villainous Bob Garbinger, Taylour Paige as whistleblower J.J. Doherty, and Elijah Wood, among others.
The plot centers on Winston Gooze (Dinklage), a depressed, terminally ill janitor and stepfather, who is exposed to toxic waste after a botched attempt to rob the corrupt chemical plant run by his boss, Bob Garbinger, to pay for his medical treatment. After being transformed into the hideous but powerful vigilante "Toxie," he gains the community's trust by using his radioactive mop to brutally combat Garbinger's forces and corporate corruption.
The Toxic Avenger concludes with Winston defeating and killing Bob Garbinger, exposing the latter's crimes. Winston wakes up in the hospital, hailed as a public hero, with his relationship with his stepson, Wade, restored. The film also features a post-credit scene hinting at a potential sequel.
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The Toxic Avenger ending explained: Winston’s transformation, Garbinger’s defeat, and setup for the sequel
The Toxic Avenger is centered on the strange and horrific transformation of Winston Gooze, a weak and lonely janitor dealing with a fatal sickness and insufficient insurance. His desperate, failed attempt to steal money from the corrupt chemical plant where he worked resulted in him being dumped into a vat of radioactive sludge by his sadistic boss, CEO Bob Garbinger.
This accident mutated Winston into the hideously deformed, yet superhumanly strong, creature known as Toxie. Toxie, driven by a desire for justice and vengeance, particularly to protect his stepson Wade and reveal the widespread corruption contaminating his community, becomes a vigilante. This concludes in a showdown with the vicious Garbinger and his criminal cronies.
The final scene of The Toxic Avenger begins with the climactic showdown in Garbinger's domain, a massive, gruesome battle against the corporation’s forces. With his trusty mop in hand, Toxie uses his strength and acidic powers to eliminate the henchmen. This battle becomes personal, as Garbinger had actively attempted to kill Toxie’s stepson, Wade, and his ally, the whistleblower J.J. Doherty.
The chaos intensifies until Toxie corners Bob Garbinger, who has also undergone his own monstrous, albeit less effective, transformation through exposure to the toxic substances he peddled. After Garbinger is brutally killed, the town comes around to support their hideous savior. Garbinger’s corrupt corporate empire is exposed and it thus collapses.
Later, Winston, having reverted from his monstrous form, awakens in a hospital, surprisingly safe. Rather than being imprisoned or prosecuted, Toxie's actions are effectively swept aside in favor of the greater justice achieved by exposing Garbinger's genuine crimes, thanks to the efforts of J.J. Doherty, who is revealed to have high-level connections.
Winston Gooze finally gets the justice and validation he was denied as a normal man. In the final scenes of The Toxic Avenger, his relationship with his stepson, Wade, is healed, cemented by the newfound respect and admiration the boy feels for his father's courage. The film ends with Winston successfully using his tragic fate to create a better world for his family and his town.
Nevertheless, the film's final post-credits scene raises the possibility of further danger. This stinger shifts focus to Kissy Sturnevan, Garbinger’s ambitious and equally villainous assistant, who was injured and then exposed to the same toxic compound that created Toxie.
The brief scene shows that Kissy has survived the pivotal fight and has accepted her newfound strength and vengeful nature after being horribly transformed. With her survival and transformation confirmed, she is now established as a malicious new entity, posing a formidable threat to Winston and the newly revitalised city in a potential sequel.
The Toxic Avenger was released on August 29, 2025. Stay tuned for more updates.
