Bryan Singer Fired From Queen Biopic Bohemian Rhapsody

After growing on-set tension, 20th Century Fox has announced that director Bryan Singer has been fired from helming Bohemian Rhapsody, the Queen biopic starring Rami Malek. The news comes days after production on the film was shut down due to Singer's "unexpected unavailability."

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Singer's ousting from the movie came in the form of a simple statement from the studio, reading, "Bryan Singer is no longer the director of Bohemian Rhapsody." It brings to a close what has reportedly been a tumultuous experience for those involved in production, which is taking place in England.

Much of the alleged drama came due to Singer's going missing from the set, with cinematographer Thomas Newton Sigel stepping in to helm shooting on several days. At one point, it's believed that actor Tom Hollander quit the film, in which he's playing Queen manager Jim Beach, due to the director's antics. However, he later rejoined the production.

The events led to a growing divide between the director and star Rami Malek, who is playing Queen frontman Freddie Mercury. At one point, the actor even reportedly complained to the studio about Singer. The tensions between the two came to a head when there was a confrontation, THR says. While it didn't get physical, it's claimed that Singer threw an object. However, the two supposedly settled their differences and it was expected production would resume.

Singer never returned to the set after a planned Thanksgiving break, though. Instead, it's believe that he's spent the last 10 days in the United States. While the director has made no public statement about his absence from the film or his firing, a source tell THR he claims to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder due to the on-set tension.

With two weeks left in principal photography, a new director should be named soon. Singer's previous credits include X-Men: Apocalypse, X-Men: Days of Future Past, and Superman Returns. He's currently an executive producer on X-Men spin-off series The Gifted.

Bohemian Rhapsody is currently scheduled for a December 25, 2018 release.