I couldn't think of anyone better. I'm sure depp would find away to figure it out, hhe's just so amazing. On Brian May's blog thingie he said it was in the early stages and couldn't talk about it and didn't seem hppy that it leaked but it seems like it my happen.



http://enjoyment.independ...097772.ece


Depp tipped for Freddie Mercury film role
By Louise Jury, Arts Correspondent
Published: 23 December 2006
He is a keen guitar player whose admiration for the Rolling Stones stretched to modelling his character, the pirate Jack Sparrow, on the mannerisms of Keith Richards.

Now the Pirates of the Caribbean star, Johnny Depp, is being lined up to play a rock star for real in a biopic of the late Queen frontman, Freddie Mercury.

Robert de Niro's company, Tribeca Productions, is said to be behind the project, which Brian May, the Queen guitarist, confirmed was in development. "Discussions are at an early stage," he said on his website.

May described Depp as "fantastic". "He would be a worthy counterpart for Freddie on screen. I don't think I can say any more right now," he added.

De Niro has known Brian May and Queen's drummer, Roger Taylor, since they met at the Venice Film Festival in 1996 and ploughed his own money into their hit stage musical, We Will Rock You. The musical was originally going to be about the band but the surviving members decided that would be too embarrassing for all involved.

"It would be too painful, too close, and a bit grand. It would be for somebody else to do, you can't supervise your own history," May said at the time.

Instead, Ben Elton, the comedy writer and novelist, devised a story that incorporated the band's back catalogue of songs. When the show opened in London in 2002 after six years in development, De Niro attended the first night. "It's an adventure. I've been involved in this for a long time. It went through a lot of stages and finally got to this stage - it's going to be terrific," he said.

The £7.5m production, which is still running, is set in a future where musical instruments have been banned but a group of rebels go in search of mythical electric guitars.

But the proposed biopic would tell the life story of Mercury, who was born in Zanzibar in 1946 and died from complications of Aids in 1991, the day after confirming he had the disease.

His real name was Farrokh Bulsara but he adopted the name he was best known by at school in India, where he grew up. His family settled in England when he was in his teens. He performed with several bands before co-founding Queen in 1971.

They signed to EMI a year later. His distinctive voice, which ranged across four octaves, was a key factor in their success on songs such as Bohemian Rhapsody. It lasted nearly six minutes and stayed at number one in the UK charts for nine weeks.

It has since been voted Britain's best single of all time by music fans in a Guinness Book of British Hit Singles poll, defeating John Lennon's Imagine and Hey Jude by the Beatles.

Although Mercury had a close friend, Mary Austin, with whom he lived for several years and who inherited his estate, he was fairly open about his homosexuality. He lived with Jim Hutton for the last six years of his life.

Reformed character vs flamboyant showman

* JOHNNY DEPP Born: 9 June 1963 in Kentucky.

Significant other: Vanessa Paradis, the French actress and singer, with whom he has two children.

Reputation: Once accused of selling drugs at his club, The Viper Room, where River Phoenix overdosed and died, he is a reformed family man.

Did you know? He has twice recorded with the band Oasis, including playing lead slide guitar on the track "Fade In-Out" from the album, Be Here Now.

* FREDDIE MERCURY Born: 5 September 1946 in Zanzibar. Died 24 November 1991 in London.

Significant other: Jim Hutton, a hotel barber.

Reputation: A flamboyant showman who had numerous affairs.

Did you know? He was of Indian descent but kept this from most of his fans and rarely mentioned his heritage in interviews. Some friends suggested it was because he feared a racist backlash.

Awesome

I woulda suggested Robbie Williams, but Williams may not have half the depth needed.


Depp would need to bulk up for his latter days in the mid 80's, then obviously slim down alot, but iam sure he is up for it. Freddie was the ultimate frontman, but Depp has the skills to make the part convincing.

Oh God no.

Stymie said:

? Its a tough act, but if they are gonna do this thing, and need a bankable star in the lead, then theres little else choice.


But yes, another biopic. Iam sick of biopics personally

thesexofit said:

I'm sick of biopics too and I am a JD fan but he is not right for the part, IMHO.

Stymie said:

I remember thinking "pirates....." was gonna be pants. But he proved me wrong. But anyway, I presume they will re-dub Freddies voice so Johnny lypsynchs?

Stymie said:

One thing I know for sure, he's not predictable at all. So, this might be intersting.

JD is one of the few ones who never disappointed me, so I'm willing to bet on him.

I could totally see the Deppmeister pullin' it off... they just need to get the moustache right.

thesexofit said:

And that's the thing: I couldn't stand him in Pirates.

I rather they get someone that looked or sounded like Freddie, though. Oh well. Since I loved Freddie, I'll see the movie anyway.

I can see it.

Stax said:

Are they gonna glue a rug to his bald chest?

TommyRoss said:

plugs

What about Freddy M's notorious teeth/overbite? The look can be oulled off, but Freddie's teeth are just as noticeable as his voice/moustache

Johnny Depp probably can pull this off, but it would be nice to give some unknown a chance to break into the big time.

COMPUTERBLUE1984 said:

Rest of the band members of Queen probably get a say in the matter I think.

yea but who's gonna play Freddie's big ass teeth

This could b yet another rumour, like the one about Johnny Depp playing the late Michael Hutchence in a biopic about him!!!!
[Edited 12/28/06 23:30pm]

Depp is going 2 nail it

Not many could pull it off but I suppose Depp probably has the best chance... It's gonna need his best performance 2 date.

Can`t wait

as much as i love me some Johnny Depp, I can't see him as Freddie Mercury. Don't get me wrong, with his amazing talent, he can definitely pull it off, but i'd have to see it to believe it..I just can't picture it at the moment.

PricelessHo said:

I think so too.

I always thought he should play Marc Bolan actually.



but then, I guess I'd watch Johnny play just about anyone.

WOW, that's gonna be interesting Johnny is good, I trust him not to fuck it up


.
[Edited 12/30/06 2:34am]

I seriously doubt that he's gonna do it, Johnnys Backed up until 2009,
plus since he denied the michael hutchence role, its pretty obvious he doesn't wan't to play a musical biopic.

As much as I love JD and trust he'd do a great job as Freddie, I'm kinda getting tired of seeing his name attached to every other big project since finally hitting the mainstream with Pirates. An young unknown should get the role, IMO. Especially since there's such a dearth lately of really stellar younger actors at the moment. Johnny's proven he can do just about any role he's handed marvelously well, why not try some less tried-and-true talent?

Wow..perfect choice!

EmbattledWarrior said:

It's funny you mention that because the big Queen boxset is supposed to come out during winter of 2009.

Maybe he didn't find Michael Hutchinsons story interesting enogh. It's kind of interesting if he died by autoerotic afixiation but Freddie's story may be a lot more appealing init because of the depth of his character. Shy and inseure but incredibly flamboyant in social situations and on stage. Here was a guy wo basically poured the dirt on the band in the good ole' USA during the mid 80's after a few hardships because he was afraid of touring to less than sold out shows and playing smaller arenas. Having sex with men and women. JHaving a life long lover affair with Mary Austin started out as traditional but over time transcended all of that. They were more than Will and Grace...hmm, lol I guess in pop culture term Will and Grace may be the best way to dscribe Mary Austin and Freddie Mercury. Anyway he just seemed like a total paradox. I don't know if even Johnny Depp could capture that, but he can definitely do a great caracature I hope.

EmbattledWarrior said:

not only that but theres nothing confirmed...look at the quotes:




...reads to me like someone is trying to drum up interest in their film and they are slapping Depps's name to it in hopes folks will get attracted to it.

sosgemini said:

I dig that babe