The Weird Al Biopic Trailer Dropped and It’s the Ultimate Biopic Parody

The upcoming Weird Al Yankovic biopic we didn’t know we needed just released its official trailer, and so far, the film is tripling down on the camp we clocked in early stills. Surprisingly, the trailer also revealed some queer undertones—there’s Madonna causing chaos, Daniel Radcliffe being very shirtless very often, and the overall story of a misunderstood protagonist living his life in spite of his parents’ wishes.

“Your dad and I agreed that it would be best if you just stop being who you are and doing the things you love,” said Weird Al’s parents at the start of the trailer, in a moment that reads pointedly queer. This line sets up the trajectory of the film, a traditional arc about an unconventional musician defying all the odds to become famous.

Of course, the way the parents just literally say this also establishes the irreverent tone of the movie—in true Weird Al style, it is a parody of similar making-the-band films. This is underscored by how Weird Al describes his big dream. “My whole life, all I wanted was to make up new words to a song that already exists,” he declares with a straight face. And in case that’s not enough satire, the movie version of Weird Al is absurdly ripped and constantly showing it off.

The trailer goes on to cover Weird Al’s rise to stardom—his discovery at an open mic night by an oddball promoter named Dr. Demento (Rainn Wilson), initial media praise from the likes of Oprah Winfrey (Quinta Brunson), his celebrity love affairs, and finally a descent into drugs and alcohol. But out of everything in the trailer, his encounter with pop icon Madonna (Evan Rachel Wood) has drawn the most attention.

We see Madonna approach Weird Al to have him parody her song “Like A Virgin,” and in the next second, the pair are passionately making out. The Madonna/Weird Al pairing is a great gag that already has the internet split between confusion and thirst, with the rest laughing at everyone who doesn’t get the joke.

According to the official synopsis, the movie “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.”

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story will premiere on The Roku Channel streaming service on November 4, 2022 as its first major original film.