Losing a star is careless. Losing a director is teaching a bull how to unlock a china shop. Now Queen’s lead guitarist Brian May has outlined his views on what he wants from the much-anticipated FREDDIE MERCURY biopic. In a recent interview he explained the complex thematic challenges that have so far led to the departure of Sacha Baron Cohen and actor-turned-director Dexter Fletcher (SUNSHINE ON LEITH):
“It has to have truth, it has to have humour, because Freddie had those qualities, and it has to be entertaining as a film. Now those three variables are not that easy to reconcile.”
The tricky balance of creating a film that will take into account all aspects of Mercury’s life, as well as provide a story that is marketable, much less the challenge of replicating the performer’s unbridled charisma on camera, is proving a rocky road to ride a bicycle on. Queen insist they are leaving the big decisions to producer Graham King (JERSEY BOYS), so it is hard to say exactly where the disagreements are coming from. However, as Baron Cohen and Fletcher have both cited the legendary excuse of “creative differences” you can make a good guess as to why the process keeps biting the dust. To me this appears a classic case of too many cooks at work on the premises.
One positive factor is undoubtedly the presence of Ben Whishaw (THE ZERO THEOREM) as Mercury. Although perhaps a bit weedy for the role, this is one of the most exciting young actors around at the moment and the production is fortunate to have him.
With old friends wanting to do justice to their frontman and a powerhouse producer wanting to make the movie as compelling as the Live Aid performance the film is set to end on, there may still be an amount of push and pull to get the project to the screen. But however this situation plays out, the results should be fascinating for lovers of Mercury and rock music alike.
Source: The Independent
