Queen: Is a ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ Sequel Coming?
Sources close to Hollywood, in the USA, are convinced of this: 20th Century Studios is preparing a sequel to “Bohemian Rhapsody”, the film which in 2018 told the cinema about the rise of Freddie Mercury (played by Rami Malek) and Queen, a triumph at the box office with 910.8 million dollars grossed (and four Oscars won, including the one for Malek as “Best Actor”). But rather than using the present indicative, it would be more appropriate to use the conditional: it would be preparing. Yes, because those that are circulating are simply rumors that at the moment have not been confirmed – but not denied – by 20th Century Studios. According to rumors, Malek would return to play Freddie Mercury in the film which should tell the last years of the life of the Queen leader, who discovered in 1988 that he was suffering from AIDS, but chose to keep it a secret until November 23, 1991, when he disclosed the news shortly before dying from complications of the virus. The sequel, unlike the first chapter, will have a darker and more dramatic tone. The direction should be signed by David Fincher, already behind films such as “Seven”, “Fight Club”, “Zodiac”, “The Social Network”, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”.
But what is known for sure about the sequel to “Bohemian Rhapsody”? Brian May, Queen’s guitarist, has said in multiple interviews that the idea of a sequel has been discussed and that another film could explore further parts of the group’s history after the 2018 film, which ended shortly after Mercury and his bandmates’ legendary performance at Live Aid in 1985. The guitarist, however, stressed that a really good script would be needed to proceed. There is currently no confirmation from studios or official Hollywood sources that a “Bohemian Rhapsody” sequel script has been completed or that production has begun.
Already in 2019 the Austrian producer and director Rudi Dolezal, who directed several Queen music videos, including those for “These are the days of our lives” and “The show must go on”, revealed how the band and management were indeed planning a sequel to the film: «I’m sure they’re planning a sequel that starts with Live Aid.”
The success of “Bohemian Rhapsody” has given rise to a real boom in the phenomenon of biopics in recent years, as biopics about the lives of pop and rock stars are called in Hollywood. “Michael”, the one dedicated to Michael Jackson, starring his nephew Jafaar, will arrive at the cinema on April 24th, after those dedicated to Bob Dylan (with Timothée Chalamet) and Bruce Springsteen (with Jeremy Allen White). Cameron Crowe, meanwhile, is filming the one dedicated to Joni Mitchell: the queen of American songwriting will be played on the big screen by none other than Maryl Streep.
