20th Century FoxIs this the real life, is this just fantasy, caught in a landslide, no escape from reality – the Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody is going down a total storm in cinemas across the country.
While critics may have taken a dim view – it’s currently sat at 59 per cent Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes – fans have flocked to the screen to see Rami Malek embody the legendary Freddie Mercury.
Bohemian Rhapsody is now on course to become the highest grossing music biopic produced in the UK, and is set to overtake one of the most loved music flicks for our generation in 8 Mile.
The 2002 film based loosely on Eminem’s own course to worldwide success followed the rapper (Jimmy Smith) as he establishes his dominance in the Detroit hip hop scene, while holding down a crap job, handling a turbulent home life, and general life on the street. It grossed £13.3 million in 2003.
Bohemian Rhapsody, released in the UK on October 24 and in the US yesterday (November 2), took £6.48m in its opening weekend, knocking Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga’s A Star Is Born off the top spot at the box office.
Universal PicturesIn terms of the biggest musical biopics in the UK go, 8 Mile still holds the top spot, with Johnny Cash’s Walk The Line making £10.4m in 2005.
And here’s why Queen could be said to be the most important band in musical history.
But you can’t put a price on a good old sing-a-long.
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Tim Horner is a sub-editor at UNILAD. He graduated with a BA Journalism from University College Falmouth before most his colleagues were born. A previous editor of adult mags, he now enjoys bringing the tone down in the viral news sector.