How many Toxic Avenger movies are there?

With a new Toxic Avenger movie on the horizon, we’re looking back at the previous films in the franchise, which helped turned studio Troma into “the house that Toxie built.”

Next week, a reboot of The Toxic Avenger premieres at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas. This new take from writer-director Macon Blair has a bigger budget than its predecessors. And features a star-studded cast that includes Peter Dinklage, Jacob Tremblay, Kevin Bacon, and Elijah Wood.

Which is a world away from the character’s humble beginnings. Producer Lloyd Kaufman wanted to make a low-budget horror movie set in a health club. Which eventually morphed into the tale of a bullied janitor who falls into a barrel of radioactive waste that turns him into the Toxic Avenger.

Filled with sex and violence, the film wasn’t a hit when it debuted in 1984, but regular midnight screenings turned Toxie into a cult favorite, while video propelled him into the mainstream, with sequels following, as well as a cartoon and mountains of merchandise.

How many Toxic Avenger movies are there?

There have been four Toxic Avenger movies thus far. And the forthcoming reboot means there will soon be a total of five Toxie flicks.

Here’s how they breakdown via their official Troma synopses. So prepare yourself for some Lloyd Kaufman hyperbole…

The Toxic Avenger (1984)

Welcome to Tromaville, New Jersey – a small American town, terrorized by criminals. The town’s corrupt mayor sits idly by, while muggers, robbers and teenage punks victimize helpless citizens. Among the residents of Tromaville is Melvin, a nerdy emaciated janitor at the local health club. That is, until he becomes The Toxic Avenger!

A gang of thugs devise a cruel hoax that goes horribly wrong as Melvin is cast through a third story window into a vat of hazardous toxic waste. However, an unexpected metamorphosis takes place. As the chemicals take hold of his body, Melvin turns into the Toxic Avenger, doer of good, and brutal mauler of evil! The rest, as they say, is history!

The excitement is non-stop as the hero sets out to single handedly wipe out the forces of evil that torment the people of Tromaville.

The Toxic Avenger Part II (1989)

Toxie’s mean, green, and back on the screen! Melvin Junko was a nerdy 98lb weakling until he fell into a vat of toxic waste, turning him into the first ever superhuman superhero from New Jersey. This time the hideously deformed creature of superhuman size and strength takes on Tokyo.

The Toxic Avenger Part II is a spectacular sequel with even more ingenious special effects, even more bizarre action, and even more unbelievably famous fight scenes. He’s come a long way from Tromaville, baby!

The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie (1989)

Times are hard for Toxie. What’s a hideously deformed creature of superhuman size and strength to do after he’s eliminated crime from his hometown? Desperate to raise money for the experimental surgery that could restore his blind fiancée’s eyesight, Toxie accepts a lucrative job with the evil multinational conglomerate Apocalypse Inc.  

Now, Toxie’s transforming into an even more monstrous creature: a yuppie. And all of Tromaville is paying the price of Toxie’s Faustian bargain. The Toxic Avenger must defeat his own inner demons before taking on the Devil himself in a battle royale, while the fate of Tromaville hangs in the balance.

Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger Part IV (2000)

When the notorious Diaper Mafia take hostage the Tromaville School for the Very Special, only the Toxic Avenger and his morbidly obese sidekick Lardass can save Tromaville. However, a horrific explosion creates a dimensional portal between Tromaville and its dimensional mirror image, Amortville.

While the Toxic Avenger (Toxie) is trapped in Amortville, Tromaville comes under the control of Toxie’s evil doppelganger, the Noxious Offender (Noxie). Will Toxie return to Tromaville in time to stop Noxie’s rampage or is he doomed to remain a second-class citizen in Amortville forever? How did Toxie’s wife Sarah become pregnant with two babies from two different fathers? Will Tito ever get over his teen angst and become a productive member of society?

Citizen Toxie features the most formidable line-up of superheroes ever assembled, including Sgt. Kabukiman NYPD, Mad Cowboy, Dolphin Man, Master Bator and The Vibrator. Auteur director Kaufman has also assembled a cast that reads like a veritable reunion of Troma superstars, including Ron Jeremy, Lemmy, Hank the Angry Drunken Dwarf, James Gunn, Kinky Finklestein and many others. Hilarious and shocking; erotic and surprising. Citizen Toxie is full of unforgettable special effects – everyone is calling it a Tromasterpiece.

The Toxic Avenger (2023)

The reboot of The Toxic Avengers debuts at Fantastic Fest next week, and this is the festival synopsis for the movie, which is slightly less hyperbolic than the previous:

A horrible toxic accident transforms downtrodden janitor Winston Gooze into a new evolution of hero: The Toxic Avenger! Now wielding a glowing mop with super-human strength, he must race against time to save his son and stop a ruthless and power-hungry tyrant bent on harnessing toxic superpowers to strengthen his polluted empire.

We’ll be posting our review of the new Toxic Avenger next week, while in the meantime, head here to read about the new movies and shows we’re excited to watch this Halloween.