Sometimes the movie gods smile down on us with great joy, like today when it was announced that Daniel Radcliffe had a brand new role to prepare for.
Which role is it? The former Harry Potter actor will play Weird Al Yankovic in the upcoming “biopic,” Weird: The Al Yankovic Story!
Yankovic co-wrote the film Weird alongside Eric Appel, who will also serve as the director. The film will premiere on The Roku Channel via Funny or Die and Tango.
“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,” Yankovic says in a press release, adding that he is “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.”
In recent years, Daniel Radcliffe has moved away from the dramatic roles and embraced his comedic side. He had significant roles in the 2016 films Now You See Me 2 and Swiss Army Man but found his comedy voice with three seasons of Miracle Workers on TBS.
As for Weird Al Yankovic himself, it was only a matter of time before someone took on his story. The comedic singer has built quite the lasting career in Hollywood, with his 2014 album, Mandatory Fun, debuting at #1 on the Billboard Top 200. He is also one of three musicians to garner top 40 singles in the past four decades: the others being Michael Jackson and Madonna.
As we await the film’s release, go back and listen to some of Yankovic’s most popular songs and imagine Daniel Radcliffe singing Eat It or White & Nerdy.
