The Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody is enjoying the type of bump that every film dreams of receiving during the annual awards race. Each win is valuable -- whether it be from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association or from the Broadcast Film Critics Association -- because it means more buzz, exposure and face time. And in the case of Bohemian Rhapsody, it also means a return to movie theaters with a unique presentation: sing-along screenings.
Beginning on Friday, January 11, Bohemian Rhapsody will be back in 750 theaters across the U.S. and Canada in a modified, sing-along version of the movie. The biopic plans to expand to 1,300 theaters in total, but only 750 of them will feature the sing-along version, according to a press release from Fox.
The move comes after Bohemian Rhapsody took home the Best Picture prize in the Drama category at the Golden Globes, while star Rami Malek received the Best Actor trophy for his performance as Queen frontman Freddie Mercury. Bringing the movie back to theaters is a solid reward for fans, who have supported the biopic ever since it was released last November.
More than you can even imagine. The press release notes that Bohemian Rhapsody currently sits as the highest-grossing musical biopic ever produced earning $734 million to date in global tickets sold. That number's only expected to rise if the movie continues to perform well at the various awards ceremonies. And, of course, there are the Oscars. If Bohemian Rhapsody can work its way into some major categories (Actor and Picture definitely seem in play), then more curious patrons likely will come and check it out.
The thing about Bohemian Rhapsody is that it's best appreciated in a theater, where the sound system can best present the music of Queen, from the movie's title track to "We Will Rock You" and "Radio Gaga." In fact, the showstopping sequence in the movie is Queen's performance on the grand stage at Live Aid in 1985. Waiting to witness that on your home television screen wouldn't do the sequence justice.
Here's a brief clip of it, from the movie Bohemian Rhapsody.
What we don't quite know yet is HOW the sing-along version will play. Will there be words on the screen? A bouncing ball for fans to follow along, karaoke-style? Or do people who buy a ticket to the sing-along version of Bohemian Rhapsody just have the freedom to sing as loud as they can with the music, with no fear of repercussions from others sitting near them in the theater? We remain curious.
Bohemian Rhapsody tells the story of Queen, the experimental rock band fronted by Freddie Mercury that produced some of the most memorable songs in rock history. Have you seen it yet? Are you more inclined to see it in a theater in this format? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
