Here's Your First Look at Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury in Forthcoming Queen Movie

The long-awaited Freddie Mercury biopic has been an uphill battle for all involved. Several actors, including Johnny Depp and Sacha Baron Cohen, have been in talks or attached to star as the late Queen frontman, only to drop out for various reasons. (Cohen even wound up in a public war of words with Queen guitarist Brian May after the two clashed over the direction of the project.) But now it looks like it’s really happening, and we have our first look at Mr. Robot star Rami Malek as Mercury. You can check it out via Entertainment Weekly, which has the skinny on the re-energized production.

The biopic, not-so-subtly titled Bohemian Rhapsody, is being helmed by X-Men director Bryan Singer, with a target release date of December 2018. According to EW, the story will begin in 1970, when Mercury, May and and bassist Roger Taylor formed Queen, and end at the band’s performance at Live Aid in 1985, six years before Mercury succumbed to AIDS.

Malek, a 31-year-old American, won the 2016 Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his portrayal of Elliot Alderson in USA’s hit Mr. Robot. Check out Malek as Mercury below, and also read our list of the 15 Best Queen Songs.

Here’s Your First Look at Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury in Forthcoming Queen Movie

After a decade of stops and starts, it looks like the Queen biopic is finally happening.