Bohemian Rhapsody (Freddie Mercury Biopic)

bnt

Back when we discussed a possible Kurt Cobain biopic, allanb49 thought "A Freddie Mercury biopic would be far better". Well, it's going to happen, according to Rolling Stone magazine. See if you can guess who's up to play Freddie ...

Sacha Baron Cohen, of course

!

Handsome Bob

It seems strange that they wouldn't depict his final few years, they must just be focusing on the ultimate showman that was Freddie Mercury.

iMax

It'll end on a freezeframe of queen on stage & there'll be a flashcard giving a brief synopsis of the rest of his life

pickarooney

As long as they don't get SBC to sing. He could well be a great singer in his own right, but Freddie Mercury is an impossible act to follow.

PeterIanStaker

He wouldnt have a hope in hell of reproducing Freddie's vocals but he is quite good at getting into character so maybe it wouldn't be that bad.

Handsome Bob

Aye, fair play to the likes of Joaquin Phoenix and Jamie Foxx but Freddie Mercury is a whole different level vocally to Johnny Cash and Ray Charles, there's no point in Sacha trying to replicate such sensational vocals.

Note I'm not insulting Cash or Charles, I love them both.

krudler

Perfect casting choice tbh. would have no problem with them overdubbing SBC with Mercury's vocals as nobody can sing like him anyway.

Duggy747

well, a Freddie Mercury biopic was hardly surprising.

Dunno bout the singing, though, as nobody can match the master. I'm not totally opposed to SBC been cast either as it sounds like it he's been in talks for the part for a long time.

chughes

I look forward to this film with huge trepidation.

I'm a big Queen fan and I desperately hope that it does justice to Freddie and the rest of Queen.

In relation to the singing, they would have to dub the songs as nobody could sing a Queen song like Freddie. The Freddie Mercury Memorial Concert in Wembley in 1992 proved that point.

Faith+1

chughes wrote: »

In relation to the singing, they would have to dub the songs as nobody could sing a Queen song like Freddie. The Freddie Mercury Memorial Concert in Wembley in 1992 proved that point.

True in most cases but I thought Seal did an awesome job singing "Who wants to live forever"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aj2xE2mmxCg

chughes

Faith+1 wrote: »

True in most cases but I thought Seal did an awesome job singing "Who wants to live forever"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aj2xE2mmxCg

I accept your point in this case but that was just one song. I wonder how Seal would get on with say, Hammer To Fall.

I do remember watching that concert and the only other singer that impressed me that day was George Michael.

I saw Queen and Paul Rogers in the Point the last time they played there and Paul Rogers was quite good but, in fairness, he wasn't trying to do the songs like Freddie.

Handsome Bob

I like Annie Lennox but jesus was it painful listening to her trying to do Freddie's part of Under Pressure. Still a masterclass though in comparison to Jedward. :rolleyes:

chughes

I've just been reading on the Queen website that Peter Morgan is currently working on the script of the as yet untitled film.

I wonder could we come up with some suggestions for a name for the film ?

No slagging off names please. Only genuine titles that actually could be used should be posted here.

An obvious one is We Will Rock You but as that's the name of the stage show, it probably can't be used.

How about "Freddie Mercury - A Kind of Magic"

Handsome Bob

Who wants to live forever?

or

The best days of our lives.

They might be a bit long winded though.

bonerm

Did Cohen do his own singing in Sweeney Todd? I've read in some places that he did and in others that he didn't. If the former then he could certainly handle this singing role by my reckoning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xal0U3o6OpQ

grimm2005

In terms of singing I think Freddie Nelson could do a darn good job:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZracLGcwbg

JP Liz V1

He is an interesting choice but he could pull it off

grames_bond

chughes wrote: »

I've just been reading on the Queen website that Peter Morgan is currently working on the script of the as yet untitled film.

I wonder could we come up with some suggestions for a name for the film?

more than likely it will be called "lover of life, singer of songs"



i think this will be brilliant, i am a HUGE Queen and Freddie fan so i will definatley be seeing this. SBC is a good choice as he is a superb character actor and there is no bigger character than the late, great freddie mercury!!

bnt

chughes wrote: »

I've just been reading on the Queen website that Peter Morgan is currently working on the script of the as yet untitled film.

Morgan has spoken to Rolling Stone magazine about the movie, here: "I just looked at the period-- It's sort of where he rejects [the other members of Queen] and comes back to them. It's sort of like a family movie. It's sort of like 'I hate my family, I want to be independent, and then I come back.'"

Morgan has been twice nominated for Academy Awards,*for Frost/Nixon and ... The Queen. Coincidence?

00112984

My money's on "The Great Pretender" for a title.

Huge Queen fan. Definitely think SBC can pull off the physical impersonation. Looking forward to seeing this.

D-FENS

00112984 wrote: »

My money's on "The Great Pretender" for a title.

Huge Queen fan. Definitely think SBC can pull off the physical impersonation. Looking forward to seeing this.

I thought “The Show Must Go On” would work but The Great Pretender is perfect

As soon as I read this thread I thought of this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTe7D16pAYE 1 min 45

Faith+1

As long as they don't call it Body Language I'm happy! :rolleyes:

allanb49

bnt wrote: »

Back when we discussed a possible Kurt Cobain biopic, allanb49 thought "A Freddie Mercury biopic would be far better". Well, it's going to happen, according to Rolling Stone magazine. See if you can guess who's up to play Freddie ...

Sacha Baron Cohen, of course

!

Woohoo name checked, saw this a while ago but didn't think to post it. SBC i'd say will do it well. Hopefully they focus on the larger than life aspects

- Kenny Everett show
- Midgets with coke at his 40th
- Him pinning bono against a wall at live aid and saying in a really camp voice we have decided we like you alot.
- Wonder will it go into the relationship with his mother, he was very close to her
- Will it focus on his love life?
- As for names for the movie, has to be "The Great Pretender"

always makes me sad when i see colour pictures of him from shoots of i'm going slightly mad and days of our lives.

reports are saying the movie will focus on the early 80s so maybe up to live aid or the magic tour in 86. By that time he knew he hadn't long left and it's when he was performing at his best.

Side note - Fat Bottomed Girls was released 32 years ago yesterday. I was -7 years old :P

Faith+1

allanb49 wrote: »

Side note - Fat Bottomed Girls was released 32 years ago yesterday. I was -7 years old :P

Wow you're old! :eek:

allanb49

Faith+1 wrote: »

Wow you're old! :eek:

Ripe old age of 25 and listening to queen since i was 7

JP Liz V1

So who to play the rest of Queen - Brian May, John Deacon and Roger Taylor ????????

allanb49

John Deacon - Anthony Daniels :P

D1976

Kevin Bacon

D-FENS

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

So who to play the rest of Queen - Brian May, John Deacon and Roger Taylor ????????

I always thought Lars Ulrich looked like a young Roger Taylor...and Martin Platt from Corrie was a ringer for Deacon

D1976

D-FENS wrote: »

I always thought Lars Ulrich looked like a young Roger Taylor...and Martin Platt from Corrie was a ringer for Deacon

Seriously Lars Ulrich, he doesn't have to be a drummer to play the part

paddyismaddy

i think cillian murphy could pull off a young brian may

Auvers

paddyismaddy wrote: »

i think cillian murphy could pull off a young brian may

I bet he could :pac:

but would he swallow is the question

00112984

Brian May could be played by his other half Anita Dobson

chughes

Faith+1 wrote: »

Wow you're old! :eek:

If you thought being 7 32 years ago makes you old, I was 19 when that single was released. I must be ancient !

I was 14 when Seven Seas of Rhye was released and I've been a fan ever since.

allanb49

chughes wrote: »

If you thought being 7 32 years ago makes you old, I was 19 when that single was released. I must be ancient !

I was 14 when Seven Seas of Rhye was released and I've been a fan ever since.

lol i had -(minus) 7 :P in my post

D-FENS

D1976 wrote: »

Seriously Lars Ulrich, he doesn't have to be a drummer to play the part

Just always thought Taylor and Ulrich looked alike, the drummer thing was purely coincidental.
If i was working off that logic, where did i get Martin Platt from?

D1976

OOOOOOOOOOOhhhhhhhhh

Handbags at Dawn

D-FENS

D1976 wrote: »

OOOOOOOOOOOhhhhhhhhh

Handbags at Dawn

All in honour of Freddy, he loved a good game of hangbags

bnt

Casting update: there's a new candidate for the lead role in Daniel Radcliffe.

I didn't know he could sing, but he's apparently quite good - and he's also close to Mercury's size. Cohen is much taller.

Corholio

bnt wrote: »

Casting update: there's a new candidate for the lead role in Daniel Radcliffe.

I didn't know he could sing, but he's apparently quite good - and he's also close to Mercury's size. Cohen is much taller.

That would be a weird casting IMO. Will do very well to match the accents and the look.

Sleepy

Dear god no... he seems like a nice kid but he's a dreadful actor...

Sacha Baron Cohen's reasons for quitting seem disappointing too. How can you do a Freddie biopic without showing the extravagant excess?

Myrddin

Sleepy wrote: »

Dear god no... he seems like a nice kid but he's a dreadful actor...

Sacha Baron Cohen's reasons for quitting seem disappointing too. How can you do a Freddie biopic without showing the extravagant excess?

Agreed on both counts. I can only presume Rogers & May are taking real care with how Freddie is portrayed, & are wary of painting the wrong image of him. He was really private by all accounts, & they probably want to respect that as much as possible. Rightly so too I suppose, Cohen's strong suit wouldn't be subtlety. May & Rogers prb had a hard time finding a line they're comfortable with, showing Freddie's extravagance, while being careful to ensure he's not portrayed in the wrong light.

Seemingly Harry Potter himself thinks the casting is wrong.

Sleepy

I stand by the "nice kid" comment.

fryup

Sleepy wrote: »

Sacha Baron Cohen's reasons for quitting seem disappointing too. How can you do a Freddie biopic without showing the extravagant excess?

they should do it like the Liberace movie behind the candelabra

anyhow Cohen is too tall to play Freddie, Freddie was a short arse no more than 5' 8"

Jumboman

They should get Ross McCall to play freddie.

He actually played freddies double in a queen video.

fryup

^^^first sign of his illness in that pic, face a bit gaunt

JP Liz V1

Adam Lambert is already touring with the rest of Queen and now he is "acting" as he has joined Glee :P

I saw the names Noel Fielding and Russell Brand put forward on another forum, Noel does resemble Freddie

I think maybe a UK actor like Sam Riley (awesome in Control), Dominic Cooper or Michael Sheen could do well in the role

Handsome Bob

Interesting suggestions Liz, would say no to Lambert though. Brand isn't a bad shout though, I'd be really curious to see how he'd fare. Sheen would probably be the safest choice.

losthorizon

If its going to be a safe movie then it should not be done. Brian May tried to warn Mercury about his sexual lifestyle at one point as he had read about Aids and Freddie penned this response

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgzGwKwLmgM

expectationlost

the real question is who is going to direct it

Queen did not want Freddie Mercury biopic 'to be a joke
http://www.theguardian.com/music/filmblog/2013/sep/26/queen-freddie-mercury-biopic-sacha-baron-cohen

so Sacha Baron Cohen couldn't do a drama but also bring some humour to it thats was a part of all members of queen?