Fox has tapped Dexter Fletcher as the new director of “Bohemian Rhapsody” to replace the fired Bryan Singer.
Production will resume next week in London. Fletcher’s directing credits include “Eddie the Eagle,” which Fox distributed, and “Wild Bill” along with acting credits on “Kick-Ass” and “Stardust.”
The studio made the announcement late Wednesday afternoon, two days after firing Singer under the “pay or play” provision of his contract. Fox did not elaborate on why it had fired Singer, but sources said that it was due to repeated failures to show up on the set.Filming has been taking place in London with “Mr. Robot” star Rami Malek in the lead role as Freddie Mercury, the frontman for Queen. New Regency and GK Films are the production companies.
Fox has not changed its plan to release “Bohemian Rhapsody” on Dec. 25, 2018. Sources have said that about two weeks of shooting remain.
As a result of Singer’s absences, cinematographer Thomas Newton Sigel had to step in to direct on some of the days while Singer was missing, sources told Variety. Additionally, Malek had complained about what he perceived as Singer’s lack of professionalism.
For his part, Singer accused Fox of refusing to give him time off to deal with health issues of one of his parents. The director made the statement through his attorney on Dec. 4, several hours after Fox announced that he’d been terminated.
The producers are Graham King, Singer, and Jim Beach, Queen’s longtime manager. Denis O’Sullivan, Arnon Milchan, and Jane Rosenthal are the executive producers.
Fox had announced on Dec. 1 that it had temporarily halted production on “Bohemian Rhapsody” and cited “the “unexpected unavailability of Bryan Singer.”
A source also said this week that Tom Hollander, who plays Jim Beach, departed the film due to Singer’s behavior, but was persuaded to return.
Singer, who is 52, has directed films including “The Usual Suspects,” four X-Men movies including last year’s “X-Men: Apocalypse,” “Jack the Giant Slayer,” and “Superman Returns.”
Ben Hardy is playing drummer Roger Taylor. Gwilym Lee (“The Hollow Crown”) is portraying lead guitarist Brian May and Joe Mazzello (“The Social Network”) is in the role of bass guitarist John Deacon. Lucy Boynton is playing Mary Austin, lifelong companion of Mercury.
Mercury wrote numerous hits for Queen, including “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Killer Queen,” “Somebody to Love,” “Don’t Stop Me Now,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” and “We Are the Champions.”
Mercury formed Queen with May and Taylor in 1970 and died of complications from HIV/AIDS in 1991 at the age of 45.
Justin Haythe wrote the “Bohemian Rhapsody” script. Fletcher, a London native, is repped by WME and Independent.