The Weird Al Biopic Parody Starring Daniel Radcliffe Is Getting A 4K Blu-Ray Release
Fewer and fewer films are receiving physical media releases nowadays, so there's always cause for celebration when a media company deigns to do what media companies used to do as a rule and release one of their movies to Blu-ray.
The latest recipient of this all-too-rare honor is "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story." This is somewhat surprising given that The Roku Channel skipped a theatrical release and sent the film straight to its streaming platform. Yankovic had requested a limited, Oscar-qualifying theatrical run, but Roku preferred to focus on the Primetime Emmys, which paid off with nominations for Daniel Radcliffe (Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie) and Yankovic himself (he shares his nod for Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie with the film's director, Eric Appel). While I would've loved to see Yankovic vie for a Best Original Song Oscar (and, perhaps, perform at the ceremony), Roku probably made the right call here.
But thanks to Shout! Studios, fans will at the very least own their own physical copy of "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story." What can you release when these discs drop on December 12, 2023? Details are scarce at the moment, but here's what we know right now.
Watch Weird in just about every format short of Viewmaster
According to a Shout! Studios press release, "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story" will be available as a two-disc 4K UHD + Blu-ray, a two-disc Blu-ray + DVD edition, and as a standalone DVD. Considering the extreme nerdiness of the song parodist's fan base, it's a tad surprising they're not putting it out on VHS.
Shout! Studios promises "a bevy of new bonus features," but these details have yet to be announced. While "Weird" isn't likely to be a showcase disc for your home entertainment setup, if these special features are as inventive as the film (or Yankovic's 1989 feature-film triumph, "UHF"), it'll be well worth owning on the format of your choice.
In case you've forgotten, "Weird" is an over-the-top biopic parody that goofs on the genre's shopworn conventions before inexplicably turning into an action-heavy saga in which Yankovic must rescue his girlfriend Madonna (a brilliant Evan Rachel Wood) from the clutches of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar (Arturo Castro). The star-studded comedy also features appearances from the likes of Patton Oswalt, Rainn Wilson, Jack Black, Thomas Lennon, Quinta Brunson, Scott Aukerman, and more. You know if this madness is for you, and you can pre-order your copy at Shout! Studio's website right now.