The Toxic Avenger and more films coming to Shudder the first week of May

Spring is winding down, and Shudder is starting May off with a toxic bang! That’s right, the original “Toxie” film and its sequels will be available to binge on May 1. Here are the great additions coming to Shudder during the first week of May:

The Jester (2023)

The first incarnation of this film was as a short on YouTube in 2016. When the film went viral, it was followed up with two short sequels before it was picked up as a feature film in 2023. Set in a small town on Halloween Night, The Jester features an evil being in a mask who is terrorizing the residents. Two estranged sisters are forced to work together in order to stop him before it’s too late.

Blood and Black Lace (1964)

This 1964 Mario Bava giallo opens with the murder of a model in Rome. The killer is seen wearing a fedora, a mask and a trench coat. As a police inspector gets closer to discovering who the murderer is, more women are killed and the mystery deepens.

The Toxic Avenger (1984)

In the original 1984 cult favorite Troma film, nerdy Melvin works at a health club, where he is regularly bullied by Bozo, Slug, Julie and Wanda. While trying to escape them, Melvin jumps out of a window directly into a barrel of toxic waste, which renders him a horrible looking mutant creature. The newly born Toxic Avenger uses his super-strength to help others and to get revenge on his tormentors.

The Toxic Avenger Part II (1989)

“Toxie” is back, still using his powers for good and working at the Tromaville Center for the Blind. When an evil chemical company called Apocalypse Inc. tries to take over the town, The Toxic Avenger and his blind girlfriend Claire choose to fight back.

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

Thanks to the crime-fighting efforts of Toxie, Tromaville is peaceful and nearly crime-free now, which is not necessarily good for our hero. He is forced to take on menial jobs in an effort to raise money for surgery that could restore Claire’s eyesight. But he fails, and is forced to take a job with Apocalypse, Inc., the evil chemical company who nearly destroyed Tromaville in Part II.

TA4 – Citizen Toxic: The Toxic Avenger IV (2001)

In the most recent sequel to The Toxic Avenger (and the most ridiculous), Toxie and his sidekick Lardass attempt to rescue a school from a bombing attempt. However, the bomb detonates, which transports Toxie and the students to Amortville, an alternate version of Tromaville.

YellowBrickRoad (2010)

The premise of this horror film is that in 1940, the residents of a town called Friar gathered to watch The Wizard of Oz. Afterwards, all 572 residents walked off into the wilderness, leaving everything behind. 300 bodies were later find, but what became of the remaining 272? A film crew has decided to find out (which any fan of found footage knows is A BAD IDEA).

Mean Spirited (2022)

Billed as a horror/comedy film, Mean Spirited features a YouTube vlogger named Andy, who persuades his crew to join him on a trip to the Poconos to see his old friend Bryce. Bryce was also a vlogger, but has managed to become successful, and Andy’s goal is to expose him as a sellout. They end up getting more than they bargained for.

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