The actor plays a parody of the parody singer
A brand new trailer for Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is here – and it’s a parody of a parody of a parody.
In the clip, which can be watched above, young Al (David Bloom) is seen smuggling accordion magazines and getting arrested for playing polka parties – two things his parents Mary (Julianne Nicholson) and Nick (Toby Huss) would rather him, uh, not do. We then flash forward to Daniel Radcliffe’s Al, who, after coming up with a parody of The Knack’s “Sharona,” meets with a record label executive (played by Weird Al himself) and is thrust into stardom. After he meets Madonna (Evan Rachel Wood), the two embark on a steamy romance that leads to an alcohol dependency and an addiction to fame itself.
The cast also includes Rainn Wilson as radio personality Dr. Demento, Quinta Brunson as Oprah Winfrey, James Preston Rogers as Hulk Hogan, and Will Forte in an unnamed role.
Directed by Eric Appel (who co-wrote the film with Yankovic), the upcoming ‘biopic’ is loosely based on the 2010 Funny Or Die sketch of the same name (opens in new tab), which starred Aaron Paul as a drinking, smoking, accordion-smashing version of the family-friendly comedy singer who has an affair with Madonna (Olivia Wilde) and a jail cell heart-to-heart with his dad (Gary Cole).
The Roku Channel is definitely in on the joke, with the streaming platform describing the film as a biopic “that 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 hits The Roku Channel, streaming free, on November 4. For more, check out the most exciting upcoming movies in 2022 and beyond.