A Queen biopic has been in the works for many many years. For a long time, Borat star Sacha Baron-Cohen was attached to play the role of Freddie Mercury but about a year and a half ago, he and the band had a falling out over the creative direction of the film. At the time, I was a little worried that this meant the film would probably be the shits, but after seeing today's teaser trailer, I am totally onboard.
That's mostly because the role of Freddie Mercury has been recast with Rami Malek, who broke out recently for his portrayal of Elliot in the USA Network series Mr. Robot (I can't recommend this show enough, go watch it.) Malek is a more than capable actor and it's really impressive how much he looks like Mercury.
The trailer features mostly concert footage, and a display of all of Mercury's signature looks throughout his career, and it's only about a minute into the trailer until we even hear Malek's Mercury speak. Take a look:
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Y7X6le5qmE][/youtube]
The official synopsis of the film:
Bohemian Rhapsody is a foot-stomping celebration of Queen, their music and their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury, who defied stereotypes and shattered convention to become one of the most beloved entertainers on the planet. The film traces the meteoric rise of the band through their iconic songs and revolutionary sound, their near-implosion as Mercury’s lifestyle spirals out of control, and their triumphant reunion on the eve of Live Aid, where Mercury, facing a life-threatening illness, leads the band in one of the greatest performances in the history of rock music. In the process, cementing the legacy of a band that were always more like a family, and who continue to inspire outsiders, dreamers and music lovers to this day.
The film is running a promo campaign where you can record your own version of the "Bohemian Rhapsody" vocals and it might be included in the film. More info here.
Bohemian Rhapsody hits theaters on November 2, 2018. Here's the poster for the film:
