While Bohemian Rhapsody prepares for an early November release, Bryan Singer (who still receiving a directing credit for the movie despite his firing for “unreliability and unprofessionalism” surrounding his “personal issues”) finds himself fending off an upcoming storm. On Monday, the X-Men and The Usual Suspects director preemptively struck out at Esquire over an expected article on the sexual misconduct allegations against him.
Esquire has not previewed the piece or detailed the contents within, but the piece could discuss the accusations lodged by Cesar Sanchez-Guzman, who has claimed that Singer allegedly raped him in 2003 on a Seattle yacht when Sanchez-Guzman was 17 years old. Singer was also one of several Hollywood figures who became the subject of sexual assault allegations from Michael Egan, who later admitted the untrue nature of those allegations. Egan dropped his related lawsuit against Singer, as did another anonymous U.K. plaintiff who had lodged an unrelated suit. Again, there’s no indication on what claims might be involved in Esquire‘s piece, but here’s part of Singer’s statement:
“I have known for some time that Esquire magazine may publish a negative article about me. They have contacted my friends, colleagues and people I don’t even know. In today’s’ climate where people’s careers are being harmed by mere accusations, what Esquire is attempting to do is a reckless disregard for the truth, making assumptions that are fictional and irresponsible.”
Singer further called the piece a “rehash[ing]” of “false accusations and bogus lawsuits” that recontexualizes “quotes from ‘sources’ that will claim to have ‘intimate’ knowledge of my personal life.” He accuses the publication of “attempting to tarnish” his 25-year Hollywood career with an article that he believes has been “conveniently timed” with the release of the long-gestating Freddie Mercury biopic. Variety notes that Singer declined to comment within the Esquire that was penned by Maximillian Potter. Esquire has not clarified whether the article will appear within its upcoming November print edition.