Bohemian Rhapsody producer Graham King debunked a rumor earlier this week that a sequel to the Queen biopic is being considered after the film became a huge international success and the most-awarded film at the 2019 Oscars.
On Monday, music video producer Rudi Dolezal told Page Six that Queen manager Jim Beach is thinking about a sequel.
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“I’m sure he plans a sequel that starts with Live Aid,” Dolezal, who was Queen’s go-to director for their music videos from the mid-1980s until Freddie Mercury‘s death, told Page Six. He added that the sequel is “being heavily discussed in the Queen family.”
However, King’s published told Slash Film this was not true.
Bohemian Rhapsody overcame negative reviews and a controversy over director Bryan Singer, to become a smash international hit last fall. It grossed $875.8 million worldwide, including $215.4 million in North America alone. It won four Oscars, more than any other film, last month, including Best Actor for Rami Malek‘s performance as Mercury. The film also won Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing. The only Oscar it was nominated for it did not win was Best Picture, which it lost to Green Book.
The film ended at Queen’s famous performance at Live Aid in 1985, but Mercury lived until 1991. However, Bohemian Rhapsody contains a number of historical inaccuracies that would make a sequel difficult.
Notably, Mercury did not know he was HIV positive until after the Live Aid performance and the other members of the group did not know until 1989. In Bohemian Rhapsody, Mercury is shown learning about it before Live Aid and even telling the band about it before the show.
Bohemian Rhapsody also suggested Mercury was the first member of the group to release solo albums, which was not true. It also shows Queen breaking up to make Live Aid appear to be a reunion concert, which was not the case. In reality, Queen was touring the world to promote 1984’s The Works in the lead up to the show.
A friend of Malek’s told Page Six they have not heard about talks of a sequel. A representative for Queen’s record label said they also never heard about a sequel.
Dolezal worked with Queen on the music video for the 1985 single “One Vision” and directed about 30 videos for the group, through Mercury’s last video, 1991’s “These Are The Days of Our Lives.” He is working on a new book, My Friend, Freddie, and a documentary called Freddie Mercury: In His Own Words.
In the meantime, ABC is airing The Show Must Go On: The Queen + Adam Lambert Story on Monday, April 29 at 8 p.m. ET.
Photo credit: 20th Century Fox
