Al Yankovic, the 62-year-old parody artist known as Weird Al, is getting his own equally weird biopic this fall. The trailer for “WEIRD: The Al Yankovic Story” gives a first look at the film, exploring the wacky world of Weird Al, his hilarious covers and his obsession with Polka.
“WEIRD: The Al Yankovic Story” premieres on The Roku Channel on November 4. The film will likely be Roku’s greatest original film ever, starring well-known stars such as Daniel Radcliffe as Weird Al, Rainn Wilson as Dr. Demento, Evan Rachel Wood as Madonna and Quinta Brunson as Oprah Winfrey.
“WEIRD: The Al Yankovic Story” will be an ambitious move for the streamer. The Roku channel has been eager to expand its original programming, and the upcoming Al Yankovic biopic is likely to be a hit for the free streaming service. Weird Al is a highly successful musician, who has sold more than 12 million albums and won five Grammy Awards.
Looking at Roku’s growth, the streaming service needs to pick up the pace if it wants to compete with rivals. The company reported lower-than-expected platform revenue growth in the second quarter of 2022.
Investing in more original content is definitely the best bet for The Roku Channel. Fifty-five percent of consumers crave original and unique titles, according to Fandom’s “2022 State of Streaming” report.