5 Facts About Bohemian Rhapsody

Ready Freddie?

It’s about time! After almost 10 years of discussion and countless complications, the long awaited Queen biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody” will make it to the big screen this Friday November 2nd. Whether or not you grew up listening to Queen‘s numerous hits or deem yourself a true fan, the band’s infamous songs have left a mark on everyone, in fact I think it would be near impossible to find someone who doesn’t know the lyrics to “Bohemian Rhapsody”. So, to hold us over until the big debut, we’re looking at 5 interesting and surprising facts about the film that you probably didn’t know! To find out the full list of things you need to know before Friday check out the Top 10 Facts About Bohemian Rhapsody video linked HERE.

#5: Live Aid

You can’t make a biopic about Queen without the band’s show-stopping performance at the 1985 benefit concert of Live Aid. Dominating the stage for just over 20 minutes, Queen kicked things off with “Bohemian Rhapsody” and closed out with “We Are the Champions.” According to BBC, in 2005, 60 artists, journalists, and music industry executives voted Queen’s Live Aid appearance as the single greatest live performance in all of rock. To do this iconic performance justice, an exact replica of the Live Aid stage was built and transported to Bovingdon Airfield for the film. This set piece is expected to serve as the movie’s climax, which is fitting since it’s remembered as being the height of Queen’s superstardom.

#4: The Singing

Rami Malek certainly shares a physical resemblance to Freddie Mercury and there’s little doubt that he has the charisma to pull the role off. In order for Malek to fully become Mercury, though, the filmmakers took several measures in capturing the late artist’s singing voice. The movie not only features Malek’s own voice, but also recordings of Mercury and a sound alike. Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Malek stated, “We’re going to use Freddie as much as possible and use myself as much as possible.” At the time, Malek was reportedly at Abbey Road Studios in London, where a number of famous artists have recorded over the years – including Queen.

#3: Bryan Singer Left During Production

As mentioned before, the film’s production was plagued with problems, many of which were linked to director Bryan Singer. The Hollywood Reporter shared that about three months after principal photography began, it was reported that Singer had “unexpected unavailability.” Singer allegedly didn’t return to the set following the Thanksgiving break. While some sources attributed Singer’s absence to a personal health matter, others claim that the director had developed a difficult dynamic with Rami Malek and various crew members. Whatever the reason, Singer was fired from the project on December 4, 2017 with roughly two weeks of principal photography left. Since the show must go on, Dexter Fletcher was brought on as Singer’s replacement within the next couple days.

#2: Dexter Fletcher Went Uncredited

Dexter Fletcher was actually hired to direct “Bohemian Rhapsody” long before Singer came aboard, although he left the project in 2014 due to disagreements with Graham King. When Singer dropped out, however, Fletcher returned to save the struggling picture. According to Fletcher, about two-thirds of principal photography had been finished when he signed up to complete the film. Although Brian May praised Fletcher on Instagram for getting the movie back on track, it was announced in June 2018 that Singer would retain the sole directing credit due to the rules set by the Directors Guild of America. When asked about who would receive the credit a month earlier, Fletcher reportedly said, “it doesn’t matter.”

#1: It’s More of a Queen Biopic than a Freddie Mercury Biopic

Since Rami Malek takes center stage on the film’s posters, one would assume that “Bohemian Rhapsody” is all about Queen’s lead vocalist. While Malek is being promoted as a lead actor, the film reportedly won’t be a “traditional biopic” about Freddie Mercury. Rather, it’s a Queen biopic that explores the band’s early struggles, ascension to fame, and the tragedy that befell them, celebrating their music every step of the way. In other words, we can expect a film about the highs and lows. Before leaving production, Bryan Singer stated, “It won’t just be the dark Freddie story, but that being said, that also will be honored.” He additionally said, “It’s about collaboration. It’s a celebration.”

To find out more secrets and anecdotes about the film that is bound to ROCK YOU, check out the video below for our pick of the Top 10 Facts About Bohemian Rhapsody

OR if you’re more interested in the leading man himself, here are our Top 10 Things You Never Knew About Freddie Mercury