For now, treat this as the least-confirmed rumor you’ve ever read.
Director Steve Pink (Hot Tub Time Machine) has been media dark as he toils away on his Toxic Avenger remake, first announced back in 2010. Two years later, we now how our first casting rumor in the form of a tracking board called It’s On the Grid, reporting that John Travolta is now allegedly attached. By no means is a tracking board ever a sure thing, it’s merely an allegation that the performer is involved. But as Bloody Disgusting notes, Grid’s made unverified claims that have ultimately proven true in the past.
Does this indicate Travolta has his hands on the title role (or any role in the film)? Absolutely not. But he’s no stranger to embracing the occasional oddball project. Savages was not an enjoyable experience for me, but Travolta and Benicio del Toro were still the best part. If I’m fancasting, I could see Travolta tackling Mayor Belgoody; or someone similar. Belgoody was the main baddie in the original as well as one greasy dude.
This remake promises to be a light-hearted adaptation (one shooting for a PG-13), so you can release the pipedream of seeing a big-budget take resembling anything of Troma’s creative output. With the director of Hot Tub Time Machine on board, I’m having a hard time not envisioning Clark Duke as Melvin.
Stay tuned, I guess…
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