Joe Manganiello and Ellar Coltrane in 'Shoplifters of the World'
Joe Manganiello and Ellar Coltrane in 'Shoplifters of the World'

Watch the trailer for 'Shoplifters of the World,' about a Smiths fan who hijacks a radio station

Shoplifters of the World, the film loosely based on a maybe actual life incident where an armed Smiths fan plotted to take control of a Denver radio station and force the DJs to play The Smiths at gunpoint, has been in the works for a while now, and is finally coming out on March 26 in theaters and on digital/VOD. it stars Ellar Coltrane (Boyhood) as the radio station hijacker and Joe Manganiello (True Blood) as the radio station DJ. Here’s the official synopsis:

In the Summer of 1987, four friends, reeling from the sudden break-up of the iconic British band the Smiths, embark on a night out of partying to mourn their musical loss. At the same time, an impassioned Smiths fan takes a local radio DJ hostage at gunpoint and forces him to play nothing but Smiths tracks. With the radio station playing as the soundtrack to their night, the friends go on a wild journey of self-discovery that will transform them forever. Featuring an incredible soundtrack – including 20 songs from The Smiths – Shoplifters Of The World is a glorious ode to the craziness of the ‘80s and the power of music to change people’s lives.

The film also stars Elena Kampouris, Nick Krause, James Bloor, and The State‘s Thomas Lennon, and the soundtrack features 20 Smiths songs — will they use “Panic” which has the famous line “Hang the DJ”? We’ll see.

Who will be the first critic to write “I was bored before it even began” in their review? You can watch the trailer for Shoplifters of the World below.

PS: If the plot sounds vaguely familiar, the incident has also been rumored to be the basis for the Adam Sandler/Brendan Fraser comedy Airheads, which, if so, jettisoned the Smiths part — though Anthrax did cover The Smiths’ “London” on the soundtrack.