GK Films is partnering with Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal's Tribeca Productions, and Queen manager Jim Beach on the film production due to begin shooting next year. Borat star Sacha Baron Cohen will play the 70s and 80s classic rock band Queen's front man Freddie Mercury.
The film, which has no title yet, is being written by Peter Morgan, author of "The Last King of Scotland."
The Film Production
A spokesman for GK Films said, " Queen is one of the greatest rock bands of all time...Freddie Mercury was an awe-inspiring performer so with Sacha in the starring role coupled with Peter's screenplay and the support of Queen, we have the perfect combination to tell the real story behind their success."
The film producers have secured the rights for some of Queen's best known songs - "Bohemian Rhapsody," " We Will Rock You," "We Are the Champions," "Another One Bites the Dust," "You're My Best Friend."
The film will focus on the band's formation and early years leading up to the 1985 charity concert Live Aid in which they stole the show with their 21-minute performance. This, in a way, marked their sensational come back after a period of uncertainty and wavering confidence due also to the harsh criticism aimed at the band for performing in South Africa during the apartheid. The film will not focus on Freddie Mercury's final days or personal life.
Queen Band Mates Will Oversee Film Music
The film has the blessing and support of Mercury's surviving band mates, lead guitarist Brian May, drumm Roger Taylor and bassist John Deacon. The decision to cast Sacha Baron Cohen was revealed by Brian May in a BBC interview, "...Sacha Baron Cohen...he's been talking with us for a long time. He has been in on this project since we started talking about it seriously a couple of years ago."
May also added that neither he nor the other band members would appear in the film. They will, however, oversee the musical content of the film production. To that end they have created Queen Films and licensed Queen music publishing rights.
Sasha Baron Cohen is Freddie Mercury
Sacha Baron Cohen, the actor behind Borat and Ali G, expressed interest in playing Freddie Mercury a couple of years ago. It comes as no surprise since the actor is no stranger to skintight spandex suits and other bizarre get-ups - his Kazakh character was based partly on Queen lead singer. It has not been disclosed whether Baron Cohen will sing or whether Mercury's voice will be used in the film.
Freddie Mercury's Legacy
Farrokh Bulsara was born in Zanzibar, he began calling himself Freddie when he was eight years old. He was sent to study at St. Peter's School, an English style school in Bombay and at this time he formed his first band in which he played the piano.
When Mercury's family fled to England Freddie was 17, he attended art college and used these artistic skills to create the Queen crest. Mercury co-founded a band with his mates while he, Deacon, May and Taylor were in college - the latter two had been in a band called Smile - they formed Queen in 1971.
Freddie Mercury's untimely death caused by bronchial pneumonia in 1991 prompted the remaining band members to found The Mercury Phoenix Trust and organized The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert f or AIDS Awareness in 1992. The concert which featured musicians including Roger Daltrey (The Who), Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin), David Bowie, Annie Lennox (Eurythmics), Lisa Minelli, Axl Rose (Guns N' Roses) and George Michael, was broadcast live and was viewed by 1 billion people in 76 countries. Both Mercury's death and the AIDS charity concert event did much to remove the stigma surrounding AIDS and homosexuality.
Mercury was very much connected with his fans and interacted with them during his concerts around the globe. He continues to have fans all over the world and despite the gossip and controversy his lifestyle and sexuality continued to spark even after his death, he was and is still loved for what he was - one of the greatest rock vocalists and musician and a human being.
Mercury was reserved and kept his life out of the public eye. Film producers and script writer Morgan say the movie will focus mostly on Mercury's musical talent and career than his personal life.
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