In a new teaser trailer for “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story,” Radcliffe belts “Like a Surgeon,” a riff on Madonna’s “Like a Virgin,” and swigs whiskey onstage. The shirtless (and ripped) Radcliffe already made headlines for his transformation into Weird Al, complete with a mullet and Hawaiian attire. The first look images made (curly-haired) waves with Radcliffe’s campy take on Weird Al’s unprecedented style. “Anyone got an accordion?” Radcliffe as Weird Al says in the teaser. Roku Original “Weird” will dive into the “untold true story” of the famed parody rockstar. Eric Appel serves as director and co-wrote the film with Yankovic himself. Both also executive produce.
Produced by Funny or Die and Tango, “Weird” began filming in February 2022. The official description for the film promises that 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.”
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Lead star Radcliffe previously told The New York Times that he “could not be more excited” for the film’s release.
“I did one shot the other day and Al walked up to me afterward and was like, ‘Is that the weirdest thing you’ve ever had to do?’” Radcliffe said. “I was like, ‘It’s top two, with the only other one being Paul Dano riding me like a Jet Ski at the beginning of ‘Swiss Army Man.’”
The Roku Channel has seen recent success with Kiernan Shipka and Diane Kruger’s psychological thriller “Swimming With Sharks.” The streamer also announced new culinary and lifestyle series with Martha Stewart, Emeril Lagasse, and Christopher Kimball.
Plus, “Weird” isn’t the only musical biopic slated for a 2022 premiere. Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis” and David Bowie documentary “Moonage Daydream” will both debut at the Cannes Film Festival. Bradley Cooper is currently in production on Leonard Bernstein biopic “Maestro,” with Maya Hawke, Carey Mulligan, and Jeremy Strong slated to star. And Martin Scorsese, who is also producing “Maestro,” is set to serve as the camera’s conductor for a Grateful Dead film starring Jonah Hill as late frontman Jerry Garcia.
“Weird: The Al Yankovic Story” will debut this fall on the Roku Channel.
See the teaser trailer below.
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