Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
Where to Watch
- The original script for Bohemian Rhapsody was written over a decade before production finally began in 2018.
- Eagle-eyed viewers have noticed a hidden easter egg referencing Bryan Singer's previous film in the background of the opening scene.
- Before Rami Malek was cast, several major A-list stars turned down the lead role because they felt the script was too risky.
Bohemian Rhapsody is a 2018 biographical musical drama film that chronicles the rise of the British rock band Queen from their formation in 1970 through their legendary performance at the Live Aid concert at Wembley Stadium in 1985. Rami Malek stars as Freddie Mercury, the band's charismatic frontman, delivering a transformative performance that captures Mercury's extraordinary stage presence, vocal power, and personal struggles with identity and belonging. The film traces Mercury's journey from a baggage handler at Heathrow Airport named Farrokh Bulsara to one of the most celebrated performers in music history, while also exploring his complex relationship with Mary Austin, his internal conflict regarding his sexuality, and his eventual AIDS diagnosis.
Bohemian Rhapsody had a troubled production history โ original director Bryan Singer was fired during filming due to repeated absences and clashes with the cast, and was replaced by Dexter Fletcher, though Singer retained sole directing credit per Directors Guild rules. Despite mixed critical reception, with some reviewers finding the film's treatment of Mercury's personal life overly sanitized, audiences embraced it overwhelmingly. Rami Malek won the Academy Award for Best Actor, transforming himself physically and vocally to embody Mercury with prosthetic teeth and months of movement coaching.
The film's climactic recreation of Queen's 20-minute Live Aid set was achieved through meticulous shot-for-shot reconstruction of the original concert footage. Bohemian Rhapsody earned $910 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing musical biographical film in history and winning four Academy Awards. The film sparked a massive resurgence of interest in Queen's music catalog, with streaming numbers for the band increasing by over 100 percent.
