The Founder is our kind of summer blockbuster.

Billed as the true story behind McDonald’s The Founder stars Micheal Keaton and is based on the life of the fast food empire-builder Ray Kroc.

The trailer is a sneak peek at how a “52-year-old, over-the-hill milkshake machine salesman” built the hamburger Colossus we know today.  It’s also a fascinating look at greed and the American dream:  Kroc meets the owners of the original McDonald’s in 1950s Southern California and is impressed by their innovative ideas around making food – fast.  Visions of franchises and dollar signs ensue, with lots of underhanded machination lining the path to the golden arches.

The success story of McDonald’s  in the 50s is an intriguing topic, especially given the chain’s current instability.  As Keaton’s Kroc says: “McDonald’s can be the new American church, and it ain’t just open on Sundays.”

Amen.

The Founder opens August 5th.