[Bohemian Rhapsody] Queen Biopic Starring Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury

Why did SBH leave, what was the rumor?

 

Sacha Baron Cohen has revealed he walked away from a high-profile role as Freddie Mercury because the surviving members of Queen wanted a substantial part of the film to focus on them.

Speaking to the US radio host Howard Stern, Baron Cohen said he hoped to present a “warts ‘n’ all” view of the legendary singer’s hedonistic lifestyle, but Mercury’s former bandmates were more concerned with protecting their legacy.

The comedian and actor said: “A member of the band – I won’t say who – said: ‘You know, this is such a great movie because it’s got such an amazing thing that happens in the middle.’”

“And I go: ‘What happens in the middle of the movie?’ He goes: ‘You know, Freddie dies.’ ... I go: ‘What happens in the second half of the movie?’ He goes: ‘We see how the band carries on from strength to strength.’

“I said: ‘Listen, not one person is going to see a movie where the lead character dies from Aids and then you see how the band carries on.’

“There are amazing stories about Freddie Mercury. The guy was wild. There are stories of little people walking around parties with plates of cocaine on their heads!”

But according to Baron Cohen, who is in the US to promote his new film, Grimsby, Queen’s surviving members did not want those stories told: “They wanted to protect their legacy as a band.”

 

I love the idea of a Freddie/Queen movie but Sacha didn't make it sound all that promising. I don't need another queen documentary, hopefully they've lightened up some.

 

LOL @ the idea of FM dying wrapping up the first HALF of a Queen movie. Good lord.

 

I would have figured aging musicians would make the best screenwriters...

 

Bryan Singer. hes never written an interesting character in his life. pass.

 

Sooooooo . . .. They want the MID POINT of the movie to be Freddy's Death?
Are they on Crack? LMAO!!!
I might watch a little tributes about the funeral or some such but . . .for me the movie would have crescendo'd!!
I would not give a FFFF about the rest of the band carrying on

99% of the world could not name the rest of the band if their lives depended on it.

Rocket River

 

did not realize there was "the rest of the band" in queen. thought those were just paid stand-ins to fill the background as freddie does his thing.

 

You can bet he's gonna litter the film with young no talent 20 something blonde twinks that passed his casting couch auditon.

 

When the pacific first aired I thought it was nowhere near half as good as band of brothers. Watched it on the 4th of July again and realized it's better than b.o.b. everything I've seen Malek he's been disturbingly great. So it's going to be fun seeing him play someone who loved to partay. I wonder what went into the sbc casting originally. They took a look at borat and some one said hmm if he slicked back his hair ...

 

he's not wrong

 

Freddie dies, and the rest of the film becomes a showcase for the true heros—the business managers who continued to slowly and quietly wring as much money from his corpse as they could for 35 years, soundtracked to the tune of zero new music! THE STORY OF QUEEN.

Malek's good; I'll watch this. I just need everyone to agree first that nobody gives a **** about Brian May, the drummer guy, and whoever else is still part of the LLC.

 

He's British, he's a decent singer/performer (was in Les Miserables), and supposedly was a big Freddy Mercury fan and would likely have put the work in to do the character justice.

At the end of the day, this looks like a puff piece about how great Queen was... not a Freddy Mercury movie... and that's a problem.

 

Sasha can really sing! And he looks a little more like Freddy than Rami Malek, which is still a great replacement. I liked Sasha enough from Hugo, too know he can be good in dramatic scenes

 

The wild, no filter side needs to be shown

 

For sure, Sacha would have been great and heck a little Hollywood touch would probably have him looking nearly identical to Freddy. I meant Sacha's explanation of what the remaining members of Queen wanted to do with this film was less than thrilling.

 

This is dumb, and I'm a HUGE Brian May fan.