THE FOUNDER Trailer

Is anyone really surprised that one of the biggest companies in the world had a less-than-pristine start? The story of how Ray Kroc took over McDonald’s isn’t a secret, as I recall first hearing about it in my teenage years. It’s not like the shady story has dampened its revenue in any way, so why bother trying to keep all the wheeling and dealing a secret?

Even a high profile movie like The Founder won’t put a dent in its business. No one turned on Facebook after The Social Network (which this film is drawing constant comparisons to), and the familiar, mass-produced brand that Ray Kroc built is far too strong to be brought down even by a former Batman. Still, distributor The Weinstein Company is talking Oscar gold with this project, laying down more money for the rights to the film than Kroc paid to get the McDonald’s name back in 1961.

The Weinstein’s decision to move the film up to an August release is a curious one if they are truly shooting for an awards season run. There is usually one summer release that hangs around for a Best Picture nomination, but it’s tough to turn that into a win. More likely, this indicates that the Weinstein’s are favoring solid revenue over awards. The film will release as counterprogramming to Suicide Squad, with the only other wide release in America that week being a family film where Kevin Spacey turns into a cat (I’m not joking).

However the lifespan of The Founder turns out, the trailer looks like a slick little biopic, and the players behind it are all solid choices. It’s hard to imagine that it turns out badly, even if there is a chance that it’s closer in quality to Steve Jobs than The Social Network.

The Founder is directed by John Lee Hanc*ck and stars Michael Keaton, Nick Offerman, John Carrol Lynch, and Laura Dern. It will be released in the U.S. on August 5th, 2016. For international release dates, click here.

Do you think the story of Ray Kroc will make for a good film? Let us know in the comments!