Facts
About The Toxic Avenger Franchise
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The Toxic Avenger was created by Lloyd Kaufman in 1983,
and has since become recognized worldwide as the definitive
youth-oriented, "cult" monster hero. The Toxic Avenger's name
and likeness is recognized worldwide. The words "Toxic Avenger"
have become part of the modern lexicon, used in New York Times
editorials, TV shows, rock songs, and other mainstream media.
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The Toxic Avenger spawned a popular Saturday-morning
cartoon show, The Toxic Crusaders, which penetrated 96% of
the U.S. television markets and was often the top-rated show
in its time period. The show also appeared in Europe, Asia,
Latin America and Australia. Most people who were children
when The Toxic Crusaders aired (1990-1993) also know who the
Toxic Avenger is today; Toxie, as he is affectionately called,
is a part of youth culture's mythology. They are ready for
a mainstream Toxic Avenger movie.
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Three low-budget, live-action Toxic Avenger movies had theatrical
releases in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, including runs of
about one year in cities like New York, and 120 prints released
in Japan by Shochiku, 50 prints release in Germany by End/Ufa,
etc.
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Major U.S. home video releases resulted in more than 250,000
rental cassettes sold through Vestron, Warner Bros., LIVE,
and Troma Team Video. All three Toxic Avenger films continue
to perform well in the sell-through market.
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Major worldwide movie-related licensing: there were over 100
licenses for Toxie merchandise in the U.S. and abroad, including
a line of Playmates action figures; two Marvel comic book
series; Topp's trading cards; Nintendo and Sega video games;
Thermos lunch boxes and thermoses; Colorforms play sets; International
Games board games; a CD-Rom; model kits; Halloween masks;
and so on.
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Mainstream worldwide television exposure, including USA Networks/Sci-Fi
Channel (US); HBO/Cinemax (US); Showtime/The Movie Channel
(US); Entertainment Tonight (US); CNN (US); ABC's Prime Time
Live (US); ABC's Nightline (US); American Journal (US); MTV's
The Big Picture (US); Tonight with Jonathan Ross (UK); E!
Entertainment Television (US); HBO Ole (South America and
Brazil); Canada + (France); Telepiu (Italy); Bravo (UK); the
BBC (UK); CNN (International); 24 Studen (Germany); FilmNet
(Europe); and many, many more.
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Toxie is the icon of Troma Entertainment, Inc. - he is the
Mickey Mouse of Troma Studios. He was spokesmonster for the
NetHold channel, Troma's Edge TV, which launched in 1997 in
Benelux, Sacandinavia. He is the star of the Tromaville Café,
a television block featured throughout Europe, the UK, and
Africa. Toxie appears at the head of every single Troma Team
Video cassette release. He marches in the Macy's Thanksgiving
Day parade every year, and he's been a favorite with modern
rock musicians. More recently, 20 brand new episodes of Troma's
Edge TV are being produced for Channel 4 in the UK, which
will begin airing in October 2000. The series will star everyone's
favorite hideously deformed creature of superhuman size and
strength as well as the rest of the characters from the Troma
Universe.
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The Toxic Avenger's image and name have been pervasive in
the environmental movement: For example, he has been utilized
by the EPA, the Armed Forces, and a group of young environmentalists
in Brooklyn who call themselves "The Toxic Avengers." The
Green Party has also contacted Troma about using Toxie. At
the 2000 Cannes Film Festival, Toxie was used as a figurehead
for a joint recycling program between Kodak, ECO (Earth Communications
Office) and Troma.
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The Eighties revival is taking over the mainstream. The
Toxic Avenger was considered by many to be the penultimate
movement of Eighties culture.
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The Toxic Avenger is the figurehead for the Troma Studio Web
Site, Troma.com,
rated "A" by Entertainment Weekly and rated in the top 5%
of all Web Sites by Pointcom Survey. Far and away the most
common query by visitors to our site? - "When is the next
Toxic Avenger movie coming out?"
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Troma has recently launched a new website entirely dedicated
to the Toxic Avenger, Toxicavenger.com.
The site features clips, behind the scenes info and pictures
from all 4 movies. It also includes information on all things
Toxic since his inception by creator Lloyd Kaufman 17 years
ago.