The Founder Trailer

Trailer for The Founder.

The story of McDonald's founder, Ray Kroc.

This is how Hollywood works. Tom Hanks turned down the role of Ray Kroc which allowed Michael Keaton to take the part. The opposite happened in Philadelphia (1993) when Keaton turned down the role of Andrew Beckett and Hanks took the role and ended up winning the Oscar for best actor in a leading role.

McDonald's is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 68 million customers daily in 119 countries across more than 36,000 outlets. Founded in the United States in 1940, the company began as a barbecue restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald. In 1948, they reorganized their business as a hamburger stand using production line principles. Businessman Ray Kroc joined the company as a franchise agent in 1955. He subsequently purchased the chain from the McDonald brothers and oversaw its worldwide growth.

In 2012, the company had annual revenues of $27.5 billion and profits of $5.5 billion

Upon hearing about this film, I was a little unsure how this would turn out. But this trailer has sealed it for me, it looks great! Everybody has eaten at McDonalds at least once in their life, they are everywhere, so to see a dramatic backstory about how one man created the world's largest fast food chain is very appealing.

There is definitely a Social Network feel to this film. A backstory on a company that we all know, yet did not know about the drama behind the scenes.

As noted in the Fun Facts, Tom Hanks was almost set to play Ray Kroc, but I am glad that Keaton ended up with the role. I think he brings that edgy, cocky, eccentric character to the role that Tom does not portray. "McDonald's can be the new American church, and it ain't just open on Sundays."

I am very excited to catch this once it hits theaters!