Actor Elijah Wood of 'The Toxic Avenger' shares his thoughts on cult film remakes and his fondness for unusual films.
In the world of cinema, actors often seek roles that challenge them and offer a departure from their usual repertoire. For Elijah Wood, this challenge comes in the form of Fritz, the villainous henchman he portrays in the upcoming remake of the cult classic "The Toxic Avenger."
Scheduled to hit theaters later this month, "The Toxic Avenger" is directed by Macon Blair, a creative mind highly regarded by Wood. The actor, who worked with Blair on the movie "I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore," was drawn to the remake for its innovative approach to the source material.
Fritz, a henchman of Kevin Bacon's character, is a far cry from the usual roles Wood is known for. His character is a grotesque, villainous figure, inspired by characters like Danny DeVito’s Penguin in Batman Returns, Riff Raff from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and Wormtongue from Wood’s own Lord of the Rings films.
Fritz is part of the corporate antagonist duo opposing the protagonist Winston Gooze, the janitor who becomes the Toxic Avenger. Wood embraced the role for the opportunity to physically transform and embody a bizarre, strange character with a distinctive voice and posture.
Fritz serves as a creepy and chaotic corporate villain, complementing the film’s anti-establishment themes by embodying the grotesque face of corporate malfeasance in the narrative. However, Wood believes Fritz is a sweet guy who is misunderstood. According to him, Fritz was born physically deformed and was probably picked on, leading to his resentment and eventual role as a henchman.
While Fritz is indeed a grotesque character, he is not as freaky-looking as the title mutant in "The Toxic Avenger," played by Peter Dinklage. Wood, a huge fan of Macon Blair's work, discussed his role in "The Toxic Avenger" at the recent San Diego Comic-Con, expressing his interest in making something weird, funny, and absurd with the creative team behind the remake.
Interestingly, Wood played a different sort of villain in the movie "The Monkey" earlier this year. Despite this, he considers the character Ted Hammerman from "The Monkey" to be more odious than Fritz.
As we eagerly await the release of "The Toxic Avenger," it's clear that Elijah Wood has taken on a unique and challenging role, bringing a fresh perspective to the beloved cult classic.
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