After gestating in development for nearly six years, The Toxic Avenger remake is finally moving forward with a new director. Conrad Vernon, who co-directed the hit R-rated animated comedy Sausage Party, has signed on to direct. Mike Arnold (Archer) and Chris Poole (The Grackle) have come aboard to rewrite the script for this long-awaited remake, which was first written by the project's original director, Steve Pink and D.C. Franklin.

Deadline says this new version is a more grounded and mainstream approach to The Toxic Avenger, which first hit theaters in 1984 from director Lloyd Kaufman. The story followed a New Jersey teenager named Melvin, a nerdy janitor who falls into a vat of hazardous waste, which transforms him into The Toxic Avenger. Here's what Conrad Vernon had to say in a statement about joining this project.

"The opportunity to re-imagine a favorite cult-classic from my high school years is an honor. Toxie is an underground icon. My favorite kind."

This remake first came together in 2010, when Steve Pink was set to direct, and throughout the years, there have been a few big names circling the project. John Travolta was reportedly eyeing the reboot in 2012, and we reported in 2013 that Arnold Schwarzenegger had signed on, but in 2014, Lloyd Kaufman confirmed that he dropped out. That was the last we had heard about the remake, until now, but we don't know if a production schedule has been set, or if a release date is in place. Here's what producer Richard Saperstein from Storyscape Entertainment had to say in a statement.

"Conrad Vernon is a subversive comedic genius. He is the perfect director to bring this iconoclastic franchise back to life."

The Toxic Avenger remake will be produced by Storyscape's Richard Saperstein along with Weed Road's Akiva Goldsman and Charlie Corwin. Original Toxic Avenger director Lloyd Kaufman will serve as an executive producer with his Troma Films partner Michael Herz, Storyscape's Bob Cooper and Alex Schwartz, and Greg Lessans of Weed Road. Also slated to executive producer are Shara Kay, Armen Aghaeian, Steve Kessler, Holly Kobzina, Dave Mendez, Edward Mokhtarian, Geno Tazioli, Steve Pink and Mike Wilkins. The original Toxic Avenger spawned sequels such as The Toxic Avenger Part II, The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie and Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV.