They said it couldn't be done: no actor could capture the talent, swagger or raw magnetism of rock god and Queen frontman Freddie Mercury. But Rami Malek proves his critics wrong in one minute and 37 seconds in the new Bohemian Rhapsody trailer.
Set to a medley of Queen's greatest hits—yep, even "Killer Queen" makes a cameo—Malek's Mercury cycles through the band's biggest milestones, from his first meeting with guitarist Brian May (Gwilym Lee) and drummer Roger Taylor (Ben Hardy) to recording the "operatic section" of "Bohemian Rhapsody" and performing at Wembley Stadium in 1986. Triumphant text proclaims, "The only thing more extraordinary than their music is his story."
It's a fast-paced, theatrical montage that will bring any emotionally-unprepared Queen fan to tears (e.g. me).
20th Century FoxThe official poster for the film.
This biopic of Mercury's life and Queen's rise has been in the works since 2010, with Sacha Baron Cohen and Ben Whishaw both attached as Mercury at different times during development. Malek was cast in late 2016, alongside Lee, Hardy, and Joseph Mazzello as bassist John Deacon. Downton Abbey star Allen Leech will play Mercury's manager, Paul Prenter, while Sing Street actress Lucy Boynton will play Mary Austin, Mercury's companion and muse. Game of Thrones star Aiden Gillen and The Night Manager actor Tom Hollander will play Queen's first and second managers, John Reid and Jim Beach, respectively. Brian May and Roger Taylor both served as music producers for the movie.
Production of the film was not without drama; in December 2017, 20th Century Fox fired director Brian Singer after shutting down production the week before due to his "unexpected availability." The Hollywood Reporter reported Singer was often absent from set and clashed with star Malek, though Singer denied the reports with statement claiming he was trying to care for a "gravelly ill parent." Dexter Fletcher took over as director to finish the final third of the film and usher it through post-production.
Since the film's November 2 release date feels like an eternity away, satiate your Queen thirst with the band's legendary Live Aid performance:
Bohemian Rhapsody hits theaters November 2.
Julie Kosin is the senior culture editor of ELLE.com, where she oversees all things movies, TV, books, music, and art, from trawling Netflix for a worthy binge to endorsing your next book club pick. She's the former director of audience strategy and entertainment at HarpersBAZAAR.com. When not glued to her laptop, she can be found taking pictures of her dog or haunting used bookstores.
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