Bryan Singer has responded to the reported reason he was fired from Bohemian Rhapsody, the biopic about Freddie Mercury starring Rami Malek. Despite reports indicating the director’s departure was the result of disagreements with Malek and his “unreliability and unprofessionalism” on set, Singer’s statement paints a different picture according to The Hollywood Reporter:
“Bohemian Rhapsody is a passion project of mine. With fewer than three weeks to shoot remaining, I asked Fox for some time off so I could return to the U.S. to deal with pressing health matters concerning one of my parents. This was a very taxing experience, which ultimately took a serious toll on my own health. Unfortunately, the studio was unwilling to accommodate me and terminated my services. This was not my decision and it was beyond my control…
“Rumors that my unexpected departure from the film was sparked by a dispute I had with Rami Malek are not true. While, at times, we did have creative differences on set, Rami and I successfully put those differences behind us and continued to work on the film together until just prior to Thanksgiving.”
Singer’s reported absence from the set of Bohemian Rhapsody that halted production was said to be a “personal health matter concerning Bryan and his family,” but Fox seems to feel a different way. The Hollywood Reporter also adds that Singer’s production company, Bad Hat Harry, has been vacated from its Fox offices:
Singer had a three-year first-look deal with the studio that concluded at the end of October. The deal was not renewed, but he was granted an extension allowing Bad Hat Harry to remain in the offices for the duration of the Rhapsody shoot.
His tenure with Fox has featured his touch on the X-Men films, with the first look period bringing X-Men: Apocalypse and work on the Fox series The Gifted.
(Via The Hollywood Reporter)
