The New ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ Trailer Finally Depicts Freddie Mercury as Queer

On Tuesday morning, Bohemian Rhapsody, the Freddie Mercury biopic, premiered its first full-length trailer, and it’s a marked improvement from the previously released teaser–which was criticized for erasing Mercury’s queer identity. Not only does the two-minute trailer offer a deeper glimpse into the lives of the other Queen band members, but it accurately depicts its lead singer as queer–thank god.

The trailer is packed with exciting snippets of Queen’s biggest hits, rumbling crowds, Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury–with a mustache, tight white pants and all–and a tender moment between the front-man and a male partner. Along with gay innuendo–like a woman cooing, “Don’t you see what you could be?” to Mercury while the word “Queen” crosses the screen–there’s also explicit references to his sexuality and how it played a role in his career.

In one brief scene, a reporter shouts, “Freddie, concerning your private life…” To which the singer retorts, “What more do you need to know? I make music,” as we see Freddie having a close encounter with another man.

Back in May, when the first teaser clip was released, fans and critics were disappointed that there was no reference to Mercury’s queerness. It was a short clip, but still–LGBTQ people are used to having their narratives erased or downplayed–and Mercury’s story is gay through and through, right down to his tragic and fatal encounter with AIDS amidst the 1980s epidemic–and a failure to depict that in his biopic would be gutting. Luckily, the new trailer proves that may not be the case. And the movie’s official description alleviates some of those anxieties as well:

Bohemian Rhapsody is a foot-stomping celebration of Queen, their music and their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury. Freddie defied stereotypes and shattered convention to become one of the most beloved entertainers on the planet. The film traces the meteoric rise of the band through their iconic songs and revolutionary sound. They reach unparalleled success, but in an unexpected turn Freddie, surrounded by darker influences, shuns Queen in pursuit of his solo career. Having suffered greatly without the collaboration of Queen, Freddie manages to reunite with his bandmates just in time for Live Aid. While bravely facing a recent AIDS diagnosis, Freddie leads the band in one of the greatest performances in the history of rock music. Queen cements a legacy that continues to inspire outsiders, dreamers and music lovers to this day.”

“Roger, there’s only room in this band for one hysterical queen,” Malek quips in the trailer. Bohemian Rhapsody appears to be a rousing look into both the personal and professional life of one of music’s greatest gay icons.

Bohemian Rhapsody hits theaters November 2.

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