After a halt in production of Bohemian Rhapsody, it was confirmed that Bryan Singer is no longer working on the project. Fox was tight lipped in its announcement with the brief statement, “Bryan Singer is no longer the director of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’” on Monday. Singer, known for his work on the X-Men films, has remained silent thus far. Rumour suggests a clash with actor Rami Malek may have been a reason for the director’s dismissal.
However, I can’t help but agree with GeekTyrant in feeling that something else is up. As the article discusses, clashes between actors and directors are common, though not usually leading to the former’s dismissal. Without discussing it in depth, I suspect Singer‘s dismissal may be a strategic move by Fox. In the aftermath of several allegations against Singer, it is possible the studio felt it couldn’t allow a director to continue with this kind of heat on him. Consequently, the issue may be more political than personal.
The long-awaited film is a must-see for any Queen fan. Bohemian Rhapshody “chronicles Queen from 1970, when Mercury teamed with Brian May and Roger Taylor, until the band’s performance at Live Aid in 1985, six years before the singer died of complications from AIDS. Malek channels Mercury’s look from that global-concert event.” The film therefore seems like a good mix of the personal and professional lives of the band. Given Mercury‘s status as an LGBTQ icon, the film seems like it can potentially say a lot.
Alongside Malek, the film stars Ben Hardy as drummer Roger Taylor; Gwilym Lee (The Hollow Crown) will portray lead guitarist Brian May; Joe Mazzello (The Social Network) is taking on the role of bass guitarist John Deacon, and Lucy Boynton is playing Mary Austin, the lifelong companion of Mercury.
The film is scheduled to be released on December 25, 2018. However, it is likely this change may see the release date pushed back further.
What do you think? Does the story seem fishy to you? Let us know in the comments!