Bohemian Rhapsody: what are the many differences between the film and reality?

Released in cinemas in 2018, the biopic titled Bohemian Rhapsodydirected by Bryan Singer, will be rebroadcast on Sunday July 3, 2022, from 9:05 p.m. on W9. Worn by Rami MalekBen Hardy, Joseph Mazzello, Gwilym Lee and Lucy Boynton, this feature film retraces the career of the famous British rock band Queen, and more particularly of its iconic singer, Freddie Mercury. However, like the vast majority of biopics, this film took some artistic liberties with the reality of the facts. So here are what the main differences between Bohemian Rhapsody and the true story of Queen.

In the film, Freddie Mercury does not yet know the members of the group Smile when he proposes to replace Tim Staffell, following the latter’s departure. In reality, Freddie Mercury already knew them, because he had met Tim Staffell in 1965, during their studies of arts and graphic design. Subsequently, Tim Staffell introduced him to Brian May and Roger Taylor. Also, when he decided to leave Smile in 1970, Tim Staffell himself proposed to Freddie Mercury to replace him as singer of the group. Incidentally, Queen did not record her debut album in 1971 as in the film, but two years later. Furthermore, Freddie Mercury renames the group Queen after the recording of this album although he had changed the name long beforefollowing the departure of Tim Staffell.

Bohemian Rhapsody: the character played by Mike Myers is fictional

Although there have actually been many disagreements surrounding the release of the album titled A Night at the Opera, the group has never broken its contract with the production company EMI, since he released other albums with the label until 1986. However, they broke the contract binding them with Trident (under EMI’s label), which ensured the production, following mainly financial disagreements, and also for some of those mentioned in the film. Indeed, the group had acquired very heavy debts to Trident for the material used during the recordings.

Freddie Mercury didn’t meet Jim Hutton after a party at his house, but at a gay bar. Otherwise, Hutton did not work for Mercury like in the movie. Freddie Mercury also didn’t fire John Reid on his own in 1980, after Reid pitched him the idea of ​​a solo career. In reality, Reid had ended his collaboration with the group in 1978, at the insistence of Elton John, then ravaged by jealousy. Finally, the character of Ray Foster, played by Mike Myers, is totally fictional.

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