Why The Founder Trailer Still Works Better Than Most Business Biopics

The first time I saw the trailer for The Founder, I didn't actually think I was watching a movie about a burger joint. It felt like a heist. Or a horror movie where the monster wears a short-sleeve dress shirt and a skinny tie. You see Michael Keaton’s face—that frantic, desperate, "Birdman" energy—and you realize this isn't a story about a happy meal. It’s a story about a car salesman who figured out how to steal the ground out from under someone's feet.

Ray Kroc.

Most people know the name, but the trailer does this incredible job of framing him as the ultimate American anti-hero. It starts with the music. That slow, rhythmic building of tension. It’s not "I'm Lovin' It." It’s a funeral march for the small business owner.

The Hook: Why This Specific Trailer Grabs You

Most trailers tell you the plot. This one tells you a vibe. You get these flashes of 1950s Americana—bright colors, shiny cars, neon signs—but the editing is jagged. It’s fast.

It cuts between Kroc’s failing career selling five-spindle milkshake mixers and the moment he sees the McDonald’s brothers' operation in San Bernardino. The trailer highlights the "Speedee Service System" like it’s a revolutionary military tactic. Because in Kroc's eyes, it basically was.

What’s wild is how the trailer for The Founder handles the morality of the story. It doesn't hide that Kroc is a bit of a predator. You hear him talking about "persistence" while the visuals show him essentially pushing the actual founders, Dick and Mac McDonald, into a corner.

He didn't invent the burger. He didn't invent the assembly line. He just wanted it more than they did.

The Music and the "Persistence" Speech

If you’ve watched the trailer, you remember the record player. Kroc is in a cheap motel room, listening to a motivational record. The voice on the record talks about how "nothing in the world can take the place of persistence."

👉 See also: When Was Kai Cenat Born? What You Didn't Know About His Early Life

Talent won't.
Genius won't.
Education won't.

This isn't just background noise. It’s the spine of the entire film. The trailer uses this audio to bridge the gap between Kroc the loser and Kroc the billionaire. It’s honestly kind of chilling. We love a "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" story in this country, but the trailer asks: "At what cost?"

John Carroll Lynch and Nick Offerman play the McDonald brothers. In the trailer, they look like deer in headlights. Offerman, usually so commanding, looks small here. It’s a brilliant bit of casting that the marketing leans into heavily. You feel for them. You want them to win, even though you already know they lose.

How It Ranks Against Other Business Movies

Think about "The Social Network" or "Steve Jobs." Those trailers were sleek. They were cold.

The trailer for The Founder feels dusty and hot. You can almost smell the fry grease and the Midwestern asphalt. Director John Lee Hancock and the editing team chose to focus on the "contract" aspect. There’s a specific shot of a handshake that feels more like a death warrant.

Most biopics try to make their subject likable. This trailer doesn't bother. It shows Kroc's ambition as a literal force of nature. It’s "The Wolf of Wall Street" if Jordan Belfort sold milkshakes instead of penny stocks.

Why the "Contract" Scene Matters

There is a moment in the trailer where Kroc says, "I'm in the real estate business."

✨ Don't miss: Anjelica Huston in The Addams Family: What You Didn't Know About Morticia

That’s the pivot.

If you aren't a business nerd, that line might go over your head, but the trailer puts it right in the center. It’s the "Aha!" moment. It tells the audience that this isn't a movie about cooking meat. It’s about the legal loophole that changed the world.

What the Trailer Leaves Out (On Purpose)

Marketing is about what you don't show. The trailer for The Founder avoids the darker, more depressing parts of Kroc’s personal life—specifically his relationship with his first wife, Ethel (played by Laura Dern).

Instead, it focuses on the shiny blonde allure of Joan Smith (Linda Cardellini). It frames her as the "reward" for his success. It’s a bit cynical, sure. But it’s effective. It paints a picture of a man who decided to trade in his old life for a new one, one franchise at a time.

The trailer also skimps on the technical details of the McDonald brothers' original innovations. It gives you just enough to understand they were geniuses, but it keeps the focus on Kroc’s relentless expansion.

Authenticity in the 1950s Aesthetic

The production design shown in the trailer is top-tier. They actually rebuilt an original-style McDonald’s for the film. The golden arches in the trailer aren't CGI; they're physical props.

This matters because it grounds the story. If it looked fake, the stakes wouldn't feel real. When you see those arches rise in the trailer, they look like religious symbols. It’s the birth of a new American religion: Fast Food.

🔗 Read more: Isaiah Washington Movies and Shows: Why the Star Still Matters

Actionable Takeaways from The Founder's Success

If you’re looking at this from a storytelling or business perspective, there are a few things to learn from how this movie was framed.

First, the "Persistence" speech is a real thing. Ray Kroc actually did listen to those types of records. He was a product of his time. If you’re building something, the trailer reminds you that the "idea" is only 10% of the battle. The rest is the grind.

Second, pay attention to the "Real Estate" pivot. Every business has a hidden engine. For McDonald’s, it wasn't the food; it was owning the land the food was sold on.

Third, the trailer proves that we are obsessed with the "How." We don't just want to know that McDonald’s exists. We want to know how a 52-year-old failed salesman took over the world.

If you haven't watched the trailer for The Founder in a while, go back and look at the pacing. Notice how it starts slow and ends in a fever pitch. It’s a masterclass in building tension.

For those interested in the actual history, compare the trailer's narrative to the book Grinding It Out: The Making of McDonald's by Ray Kroc himself. You’ll find that while the movie takes some creative liberties for drama, the core of that ruthless ambition is very much factual.

To really understand the impact of this story, look up the original "Speedee" mascot that preceded Ronald McDonald. It shows just how much Kroc changed the brand's DNA once he took control. Study the contract disputes between the brothers and Kroc if you want a lesson in why you should always have a good lawyer before you sign anything over a handshake.