Fox has suspended production on Bryan Singer’s Freddie Mercury biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody,” due to the director’s “unexpected unavailability.”
“Twentieth Century Fox Film has temporarily halted production on Bohemian Rhapsody due to the unexpected unavailability of Bryan Singer,” a Twentieth Century Fox Film spokesperson told TheWrap in a statement.
A representative for Singer told the BBC the absence was due to “a personal health matter concerning Bryan and his family,” which was confirmed by an individual with knowledge of the situation.
“Bohemian Rhapsody” follows Queen from the band’s inception in 1970, when Mercury teamed with Brian May and Roger Taylor, until their famous 1985 Live Aid performance.
Malek joined the project from Graham King of GK Films last November, replacing Sacha Baron Cohen and Ben Whishaw, who had both previously been attached to play Mercury. Aidan Gillen, Tom Hollander, Ben Hardy, Gwilym Lee, Joe Mazzello and Lucy Boynton also star in the film.
Justin Haythe (“Red Sparrow”) wrote the script with King, Beach and Singer producing. Denis O’Sullivan, Arnon Milchan and Jane Rosenthal are executive producers.