Mr. Robot's Malek to Play Queen Singer Freddie Mercury

The long-gestating film is expected to begin shooting in early 2017.

By Jordan Sirani

Rami Malek (Mr. Robot) is set to star in a biopic about the late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, with X-Men director Bryan Singer at the helm.

The news was first reported by Deadline, and later confirmed by Singer in a post on Instagram. The film is being produced by 20th Century Fox, New Regency, and GK Films. The latest script comes from The Theory of Everything writer Anthony McCarten.

Malek in Mr. Robot

The Freddie Mercury biopic has been in development for years, with Sacha Baron Cohen previously attached to star. The Borat star eventually departed from the film, as Mercury's bandmates didn't feel the casting was right. "We didn't want it to be a joke," said Queen drummer Roger Taylor. "We want people to be moved."

Skyfall's Ben Whishaw was then cast as Mercury in 2013, but that iteration of the film never got off the ground.

Years later, the biopic finally looks set to enter production, as shooting is expected to begin early next year.

Jordan is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @jdsirani.

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