Macon Blair on Directing The Toxic Avenger, Monster Movies, and the Magic of a Guy in a Suit

Writer, director, producer, and actor Macon Blair joins us this week to talk about his fascinating career, and his bold new take on a cult classic: the unrated remake of The Toxic Avenger (in theaters August 29).You’ve seen Macon on screen in films like Blue Ruin, Green Room, Thunder Road, and even Oppenheimer. He also won the Sundance Grand Jury Prize with his directorial debut I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore, starring Melanie Lynskey and Elijah Wood. Now, he’s back with a gooey genre shift...reimagining Lloyd Kaufman’s radioactive hero for a new generation while honoring the messy, subversive spirit of Troma.We dig into Macon’s creative path from Murder Party with Jeremy Saulnier all the way to working with Elijah Wood and Peter Dinklage on this bonkers new Toxie. Along the way, we talk about practical effects (yes, intestines are involved), absurd kills that didn’t make the cut, the challenges of redesigning an iconic monster, and why The Toxic Avenger might actually be the perfect antidote to the Marvel-ification of movies.and of course we ask the important question… when can we expect 2oxic 2venger: Toxie vs Dracula vs the Unicorn’s Horn in Space?If you love cult cinema, superhero parodies, or just a good old fashioned over the top practical effect, you don’t want to miss this conversation sooo...  Follow Us on Social Media:Instagram & Threads: @mostlyhorrorpodTikTok & Twitter/X: @mostlyhorrorSteve: @stevenisaverage (all socials)Sean: @hypocrite.ink (IG/TikTok), @hypocriteink (Twitter/X) Follow Us on Social Media:Instagram & Threads: @mostlyhorrorpodTikTok & Twitter/X: @mostlyhorrorSteve: @stevenisaverage (all socials)Sean: @hypocrite.ink (IG/TikTok), @hypocriteink (Twitter/X)Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform to help us reach more horror fans like you! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.