I wonder if he will be as good at wielding an accordion as he was a magic wand.
The Wrap has announced that Daniel Radcliffe has signed on to portray the legendary parodist Weird Al Yankovic in WEIRD: The Weird Al Yankovic story. The film is produced by Funny or Die from a script co-written by Yankovic and Eric Appel and will be exclusively seen for free on The Roku Channel. Appel will also direct the film.
If you are expecting a serious biopic about the comedy legend, let the official synopsis set you straight:
“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.”
That description might sound familiar to hardcore Weird Al fans. That plot line apes the story in a fake film trailer, also done by Eric Appel and Funny or Die, that starred Aaron Paul as Weird Al Yankovic. The trailer would often play during costume changes at Weird Al’s concerts.
I have always said that I would pay to see the full length version of that trailer. But it appears now I’ll be getting the film without having to pay for it.
While I would have loved to see Aaron Paul reprise the role, Daniel Radcliffe has loads of comedic chops, as evidence by his work on Miracle Workers. I think he’d be a fun Weird Al Yankovic. It is not known if they will be recasting anyone else from the star-studded trailer, but if they get someone other than Patton Oswalt to play Doctor Demento, that actor is going to have big shoes to fill.
Yankovic’s last foray in to motion picture screenwriting was 1989’s cult favorite UHF, a fact that he references in his statement for this film:
“When my last movie UHF came out in 1989, I made a solemn vow to my fans that I would release a major motion picture every 33 years, like clockwork. I’m very happy to say we’re on schedule. And I am absolutely thrilled that Daniel Radcliffe will be portraying me in the film. I have no doubt whatsoever that this is the role future generations will remember him for,”
To all you Harry Potter fans out there lacking a sense of humor, that was a joke.
Production is set to begin on the film in Los Angeles next month.
