Michael Keaton just can’t be stopped. Fresh off of starring in back to back Best Picture winners (Birdman, Spotlight), the actor/national treasure returns for what might just be another major contender for next year’s awards season madness. We got our first peek at the actor’s latest work when the first trailer for The Founder dropped earlier today.
This time Keaton takes on the role of Ray Kroc, the man who, as a milkshake machine salesman, discovered a tiny, family run burger joint owned by brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald and turned it into an empire representing all that is great and horrifying about the American dream. The story of Kroc is well-known to people who have an interest in business, and this true story is positively rife with powerful drama.
Kroc is either the epitome of the evils of American capitalism or the most prescient businessman of the 20th century, depending on who you talk to. The controversial nature of the man’s life and the empire he built has long been debated and discussed, but never before has it looked so entertaining. Joining Keaton are Nick Offerman as Richard “Dick” McDonald and John Carroll Lynch as Maurice “Mac” McDonald, along with Laura Dern as Kroc’s wife Ethel and B.J. Novak as Harry Sonneborn.
The trailer offers us a glimpse at the high stakes story of Kroc, who wrestled control of the McDonald’s name away from the brothers via a series of either brilliant or unethical contract maneuvers—again, depending on who you ask—as he goes from middling salesman to high powered corporate powerhouse. Once more, Keaton looks to fully occupy his role, channeling the known mannerisms and mode of speech Kroc was known for.
Directed by John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side, Saving Mr. Banks) from a script by Robert D. Siegel (The Wrestler) The Founder seems to have all the pieces in place for a smash hit. We won’t know for sure until late this summer, but based on the trailer, which you can watch below, I think I might be lovin’ it.
The Founder opens in theaters on August 5.
