Skip to main content

Weird Al Yankovic biopic’s first trailer is pretty wizard

Movie lovers have seen music biopics of all stripes, from serious films like Walk the Line, Bohemian Rhapsody, and Elvis, to parodies like Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. The Roku Channel’s upcoming flick, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, definitely falls more on the side of parody despite the fact that Al Yankovic is quite real and quite weird. However, it wasn’t until the first trailer dropped that we saw just how bizarre this one is going to get.

WEIRD: The Al Yankovic Story - official trailer

Former Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe is headlining the film as Weird Al Yankovic, and the movie’s brand of parody is to play everything straight even when it’s completely ridiculous. To that end, Al’s desire to take preexisting songs and rewrite them into parody tunes is treated as a dramatic obstacle standing between Al and fame and fortune. Similarly, Al’s revelatory experience with My Sharona leads to the divine creation of his musical parody, My Bologna.

Daniel Radcliffe in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Admittedly, we’re not fully aware of every detail that has ever occurred in Weird Al’s life. But we’re fairly certain he didn’t have a torrid love affair with Madonna at the height of her ’80s fame. Westworld’s Evan Rachel Wood is playing the Material Girl, and she can’t keep her hands off of Weird Al. That’s how you know it’s a fantasy!

Rainn Wilson also stars in the film as Dr. Demento, with Quinta Brunson as Oprah Winfrey, Spencer Treat Clark as Steve Jay, James Preston Rodgers as Hulk Hogan, John Regan as Mark Mothersbaugh, Toby Huss as Nick Yankovic, and Julianne Nicholson as Mary Yankovic. The real Weird Al Yankovic also pops up alongside Will Forte as record executives in the movie.

Eric Appel directed the movie from a script he co-wrote with Weird Al. The Roku Channel will premiere Weird: The Al Yankovic Story at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2022. Roku Channel subscribers will then be able to watch the film on November 4.

Editors' Recommendations

Blair Marnell
Blair Marnell has been an entertainment journalist for over 15 years. His bylines have appeared in Wizard Magazine, Geek…
What’s new on HBO and Max
Taika Waititi and Rhys Darby in Our Flag Means Death.

Now that the writers' strike is over and negotiations to end the actors' strike are about to begin, it's a hopeful sign that business as usual can resume on the various streamers. Thankfully, HBO and Max aren't waiting around for 2024 to make a splash with everything new coming in October. In this month alone, there are new seasons for Our Flag Means Death, The Gilded Age, and Doom Patrol. There are also a lot of great movies on the way, including several of the Final Destination and Scream flicks, and the streaming premiere of the animated film, Justice League: Warworld.

However, if you've been enjoying the AMC+ original series on loan to Max, then you need to be aware that this crossover is up at the end of the month. So all of those series that have dominated the most popular shows on Max like A Discovery of Witches, Interview with the Vampire, Fear the Walking Dead, Dark Winds, and Gangs of London are leaving on the 31st. You should binge them while you still can.

Read more
10 worst action heroes ever, ranked
Catwoman cocks her head to the side in Catwoman

Action heroes come in all different shapes and sizes. Some action heroes have big muscles (Alan "Dutch" Schaefer) and elite combat skills (John Rambo). Other action heroes rely on their bravery (Indiana Jones) and intelligence (Ethan Hunt). And if you're John McClane, your foul mouth will either make or break you.

The action heroes listed above are some of the most iconic characters of the last 50 years. But, for every legend, there is a dud on the opposite end of the spectrum. These disappointing action heroes failed for various reasons, from the performance and script to the premise and execution. These are the 10 worst action heroes.
10. The Guy - Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003)

Read more
What’s new on VOD and Digital in October 2023
Tom Cruise and Hayley Atwell turn around in a small car, looking concerned.

October is for horror lovers, and you'll find a lot of obscure horror flicks on this month's guide to VOD (Video on Demand) and Digital. The Nun II is still in theaters right now, but you'll soon be able to watch it from the comfort of your own home ... with the lights on, if you prefer. The other horror movies on-demand this month -- It Lives Inside, Dark Harvest, and Dear David -- each have their own brand of scares.

If you're looking for something more heartwarming, The Miracle Club and Fremont may be for you. Of course, the biggest releases of the month are the action films: The Equalizer 3 and Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One. You may find that watching these flicks on your own big-screen TV is worth paying the price of two movie tickets. You can even bring your own snacks!

Read more