New trailer for ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ touches on Freddie Mercury’s sexuality
The first trailer for the Queen biopic was slammed for heterosexual-washing the singer
By Steve Brown
A new trailer for the Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody touches on Freddie Mercury’s sexuality following backlash caused by the first trailer.
Fans went into a frenzy when the original trailer failed to reference the iconic singer’s sexuality and 21st Century Fox were accused of heterosexual-washing the film with many arguing it favoured Mercury’s relationship with women instead of the men.
It was also criticised for not including the singers Aids diagnosis from the synopsis but instead opted for ‘life-threatening illness’.
But now, the extended look at the upcoming film, which is set for release in the UK this October, sees Rami Malek portraying the iconic singer and hints to Mercury’s sexual orientation.
Bohemian Rhapsody focuses on a 15-year period from the formation of Queen and the lead singer up to their performance at Live Aid in 1985, six years before Mercury’s death.
Malek joins a stellar cast including Gwilym Lee as Queen guitarist Brian May, Ben Hardy as drummer Roger Taylor, Joe Mazzello as bassist John Deacon, and Allen Leech as Paul Prenter, Mercury’s personal manager.
Mike Myers is also set to play an unspecified role.
Originally announced back in 2010, both Sacha Baron Cohen and Ben Whishaw were attached to the role of Mercury before quitting the project, reportedly due to creative differences with the band’s remaining members.
Malek, was finally cast in the role in late 2016, but based on his uncanny portrayal of Mercury in the trailer, it looks like it was worth the wait.
As if all that drama wasn’t enough, the Bohemian Rhapsody‘s original director, X-Men‘s Bryan Singer, was fired from the film three months into filming, and was eventually replaced with Dexter Fletcher (Eddie the Eagle).
Here’s hoping the film itself is every bit as drama-filled as the real-life build-up…
Bohemian Rhapsody hits cinemas in the UK on October 24 and in the US on November 2. Check out the new trailer below: