Our favorite wizard is looking a bit different in the new Roku movie trailer “Weird” which tells the story of the enigmatic iconic singer, musician and actor Weird Al Yankovic who shaped the music industry in the late 1970s. Daniel Radcliffe who is best known as the magical wizard in the Harry Potter series and recently playing our favorite villain in The Lost City, will be turning over a new leaf and for the first time be playing a musician. Judging by the trailer alone we can see that he will slay it in this role. Even given also his background on Broadway.
Alfred Matthew Yankovic, known professionally as “Weird Al” Yankovic, is an American singer, musician, and actor who is known for humorous songs that make light of pop culture and often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts. He also performs original songs that are style pastiches of the work of other acts, as well as polka medleys of several popular songs, most of which feature his trademark accordion. Yankovic has sold more than 12 million albums, recorded more than 150 parodies and original songs and performed more than 1,000 live shows. His work has earned him five Grammy Awards and a further 11 nominations, four gold records, and six platinum records in the U.S. His first top ten Billboard album Straight Outta Lynwood and single “White & Nerdy” were both released in 2006, nearly three decades into his career. His latest album, Mandatory Fun in 2014, became his first number-one album during its debut week.
The synopsis from Roku “ The biopic holds nothing back, exploring every facet of Yankovic’s life, from his meteoric rise to fame with early hits like ‘Eat It’ and ‘Like a Surgeon’ to his torrid celebrity love affairs and famously depraved lifestyle. WEIRD: The Al Yankovic Story takes audiences on a truly unbelievable journey through Yankovic’s life and career, from gifted child prodigy to the greatest musical legend of all time.” The trailer shows Yankovic (Radcliffe) during childhood and while he is creating a string of parody songs like “My Bologna,” “Another One Rides the Bus” and “I Love Rocky Road” that all went on to become hits in the Billboard Top 200 chart. It also shows Madonna who is played by Rachel Evan Woods while she was an up and coming artist, her relationship with him and his downfall.
The film will also have an all-star cast consisting of Quinta Brunson, best known from Abbott Elementary who will be playing Oprah Winfrey, Thomas Lennon best known from Reno 911, Toby Huss, best known from Halt and Catch Fire, Julianna Nicholson, best known from I, Tonya, and Spencer Treat Clark best known from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Watch the full trailer below:
The biopic is written by Eric Appel and Yankovic, while Appel also serves as the director and executive producer. It was just annouced that on Oct. 9, 2022 there will be a panel featuring Daniel Radcliffe, Evan Rachel Wood, director Eric Appel and “Weird” Al Yankovic himself for New York Comic Con. Finally it will open the Toronto Film Festival’s Midnight Madness sidebar will open with the film in September followed by it set to be released on The Roku Channel streaming service on Nov. 4, 2022.
