Freddie Mercury Biopic Bohemian Rhapsody Casts Mr. Robot’s Rami Malek

Making a splash with the USA Network drama thriller series Mr. Robot, 35-year old Rami Malek is going back in time to portray the iconic Queen singer Freddie Mercury. A biopic of the rockstar is coming and it's appropriately named Bohemian Rhapsody. According to Rolling Stone, the actor will link up with Superman Returns, X2 and X-Men: First Class director Bryan Singer to transform the biopic of the 70s legend and make it suitable for a modern audience.

Singer used his personal Instagram account to confirm the news. Using a classic image of the foursome from their music video for Bohemian Rhapsody, their most famous song to date. Screenwriter Anthony McCarten has the task of penning the draft before it passes the test for the studio.

Malek Is Freddie 2.0 As Baron Cohen Walks Away

This is a massive mainstream opportunity for Malek. But he will walk onto the set knowing that was not the first choice to take on the challenging role. Comedic actor Sacha Baron Cohen reportedly split from the project over supposed disagreements with Mercury's bandmates in Queen. Going on to say that they were unable to give their blessings over some of the more salacious details of his personal life.

The 45-year old star of Ali G Indahouse, Borat, Bruno and The Dictator would have been a more obvious choice with his British heritage and aesthetic look. Yet this now opens the door for an alternative like Malek. Speaking with Howard Stern, Cohen gave an insight into how they viewed the project turning out.

"A member of the band, I won't say who, he said, 'This is such a great movie because it's got such an amazing thing that happens in the middle of the movie,'" explained Cohen. "I go, 'What happens in the middle of the movie?' He goes, 'Freddie dies'... "At the end of the day it really was an artistic difference," he added.

Controversy Continues To Follow Singer

While this casting is good news as Bohemian Rhapsody charges forwards with production, they cannot escape the fact that director Bryan Singer has a cloud of controversy. And that is not going away anytime soon. According to THR, a man named Michael Egan filed civil suits against a number of high profile people involved in an old episode of Law & Order: SVU that included Singer.

Bryan Singer on X-Men

Egan alleges that Singer was one of a number of men who drugged him and forced him into sex at parties in Encino and Hawaii. All while he was only 15 years old. This is an allegation that has yet to be settled. And, until it is resolved one way or another, any project he puts his name to is somewhat tarnished.

Credit: Photo Courtesy of W Magazine

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