“Weird Al” Yankovic is an underappreciated musician and comedian. Ever since he gained fame in the early 1980s, his brilliant song parodies have been hilarious, and somehow remain relevant, even if the original song fades from popularity. I remember the first time I heard “Like a Surgeon” (the parody of Madonna’s “Like a Virgin”) and thought it was the funniest thing I had ever heard. And I admit, I listen to “White & Nerdy” and the Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace-themed song “The Saga Begins” regularly.
Finally, this cornerstone of modern pop culture is getting his due with the comedic biopic Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. In 2010, Funny or Die made a fake trailer for a movie by the same name that listed Eric Appel as the director. The trailer was such a hit that Weird Al teamed up with Appel and Funny or Die to make it a reality. And for some wonderful reason, they cast Daniel Radcliffe to play Weird Al himself.
Cast
Almost all of the cast of Weird are actors you would never guess would be in the movie. However, after watching the trailer, everyone seems to work perfectly. Former Harry Potter star Radcliffe embodies the kooky Weird Al spirit (although I don’t remember the singer looking that jacked). Here is a list of the official cast:
Daniel Radcliffe as Weird Al Yankovic, parody writing and polka playing extraordinaire.
Evan Rachel Wood as Madonna, pop culture and musical icon.
Rainn Wilson as Dr. Demento, a radio broadcaster who helps Weird Al rise to fame.
Julianne Nicholson as Mary Yankovic, Weird Al’s mother.
Quinta Brunson as Oprah Winfrey, a talk show host and pop culture mainstay.
Spencer Treat Clark as Steve Jay, bassist of Weird Al’s band.
Toby Huss as Nick Yankovic, Weird Al’s father.
James Preston Rogers as Hulk Hogan, a famed wrestler.
Lechristopher Williams as Coolio, a famous rapper.
Trailer
Stop what you are doing and watch the full trailer for Weird. Even if you already saw it, just watch it again. I never knew Daniel Radcliffe singing Weird Al songs while playing the accordion would cure all wrongs in the world, but here we are. Radcliffe plays an ultra-serious version of the goofy singer while going down a path of debauchery with Madonna.
Release Date and Where to Watch
The first trailer dropped back in May, but only listed a vague “Coming This Fall” for a release date. A new movie poster showing Daniel Radcliffe as Weird Al, armed with an accordion and ready to take on Hollywood gave us an actual date. On November 4th, the movie will be available for streaming on the Roku Channel app.
Even better than skipping the movie theaters to watch the movie is that Weird will be free. The Roku Channel has blessed us with this film for zero dollars. So let’s all pick up our accordions and celebrate!
(feature image: Funny or Die/Tango)
Published: Aug 30, 2022 02:20 pm