'Mr. Robot' Star Rami Malek Is Freddie Mercury in Queen Biopic

Rami Malek has been cast as Queen's lead singer Freddie Mercury for biopic.

Not Available Lead
Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

Not Available Lead

Rami Malek will portray Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in the long–delayed film about the band, confirmed director Bryan Singer. Best known for his X-Men work, including the most recent X-Men: Apocalypse, Singer announced the news of Malek’s casting in an Instagram post Friday.

Singer will be directing the Queen biopic, titled Bohemian Rhapsody after the band’s classic song. Malek, star of Mr. Robot, won an Best Lead Drama Actor Emmy for the show, which finished airing its second season in September. Mr. Robot has been renewed for a third season.

Singer’s post—featuring a photo of Queen—confirmed the film was going to be a product of 20th Century Fox and New Regency with Graham King and GK Films producing.

GK Films also posted about Malek’s casting.

Included in Singer’s post were Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor, who Deadlinereported will be music producers for the biopic, which is expected to start shooting early next year. Bohemian Rhapsody’s script was written by The Theory of Everything’s Anthony McCarten. The film, which Deadlinereported has been in development for eight years after suffering several setbacks, was originally going to see Sacha Baron Cohen as Freddie Mercury, with Baron Cohen being attached to the project as recently as last year.  

Latest in Pop Culture