If you thought future generations would remember Daniel Radcliffe for Harry Potter, then think again. According to “Weird Al” Yankovic, a forthcoming biopic starring Radcliffe as the cult hero behind comical spoof versions of classic songs will alter the course of the actor’s career.
Radcliffe was confirmed to star in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story on Tuesday. The film will follow the life and career of the five-time Grammy award-winning musician, whose early hits included Eat It (a parody of Michael Jackson’s Beat It), Amish Paradise (Coolio’s Gangsta’s Paradise) and Like a Surgeon (Madonna’s Like a Virgin).
“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,” the 62-year-old said. “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.”
The biopic will air on the streaming service Roku. It is written by Yankovic and Eric Appel, and produced by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay’s company, Funny Or Die. Production is scheduled to begin in Los Angeles in early February.
“When Weird Al first sat me down against my will and told me his life story, I didn’t believe any of it, but I knew that we had to make a movie about it,” Appel said.
Yankovic, who has recorded more than 150 parodies and original songs, is the biggest-selling comedy recording artist of all time. His 2014 release Mandatory Fun was the first comedy album in history to debut at No 1 on the US music chart Billboard’s Top 200.
“There clearly aren’t enough biopic movies about famous musicians and we were excited to shine a light on the incredibly true, unexaggerated story of Weird Al,” said Colin Davis, Roku’s head of original scripted programming.
Radcliffe, 32, recently took part in HBO’s Harry Potter reunion, Return to Hogwarts, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the film franchise.
His other recent projects included TV series Miracle Workers and Australian prison film Escape from Pretoria. He will also star alongside Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum and Brad Pitt in The Lost City, due to land in cinemas in March.
