Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)

In 1985, Queen prepares to take the stage at Bob Geldof’s benefit concert Live Aid at Wembley Stadium. Back in 1970, Farrokh Bulsara works as a baggage handler at Heathrow Airport and lives with his parents and sister. Farrokh goes to a pub to see the band Smile. Seeking them out after the show, Farrokh is attracted to Mary Austin and learns that she works at a boutique known as Biba. Farrokh finds drummer Roger Taylor and guitarist Brian May and learns that their lead singer, Tim Staffell just resigned. Farrokh offers himself as a replacement and impresses them with his vocal ability. Farrokh goes to Biba, encounters Mary, and they become a couple. With Farrokh as the lead singer and new bassist John Deacon, the band plays gigs across Britain. Farrokh urges them to think bigger and sell their van to finance a record album. As they work in a studio late at night, an A&R rep from EMI asks engineer Roy Thomas Baker for demos.

Farrokh changes his name to Freddie Mercury and changes the band’s name to Queen. They sign with John Reid, Elton John’s manager, and land a U.S. tour. Paul Prenter, who is attracted to Freddie, manages Queen’s daily schedule. An appearance on Top of the Pops gives Queen their first hit, “Killer Queen”. Freddie proposes to Mary, but during the band’s sold-out U.S. tour, he begins questioning his sexuality. In 1975, Queen record their fourth studio album, A Night at the Opera, placing extensive effort into recording Freddie’s masterpiece “Bohemian Rhapsody”. However, they quit EMI when executive Ray Foster refuses to release it as the album’s lead single, mostly because of its six-minute length. Freddie conspires with radio DJ Kenny Everett to debut the song on his program. Despite mixed reviews, “Bohemian Rhapsody” becomes a global hit, launching Queen to international superstardom. Following a world tour, Freddie begins an affair with Paul and comes out to Mary as bisexual. She counters that he is gay and they break up, but still remain close friends.