With a global box office total over $860 million, you’d probably be shocked to learn that four-time Oscar-winning film, “Bohemian Rhapsody” still has yet to debut in one of the biggest markets in the world. But that’s soon going to change, as China has finally given the go-ahead to Fox to finally release the Queen biopic in the Middle Kingdom, albeit with some very big changes.
Now, we say “big” in the sense that the film will be altered in a very big thematic way, not so much in the structure or the number of scenes cut. You see, all the Queen’s greatest hits stuff will still be there. You’ll get the musical numbers, including the Live Aid-filled final 30 minutes. However, you know all that Freddie Mercury stuff? What was supposed to be the emotional weight of the film? Well, that’s where you’re going to see some major changes, according to THR.
To get approval for a Chinese release of the film (and perhaps pushing the film over the billion dollar mark), Fox had to cut out instances of male intimacy (ie – the gay content) and the drug use. So, the folks over in China will get to see the film, just without some of the most character-driven moments. But hey, it’ll still have all those awesome songs! And let’s be real, that’s all anyone really cares about, anyway.
The real question remains whether or not Fox will be able to see a huge box office total coming from China. The film is expected to open sometime next month. That means “Bohemian Rhapsody” will be flanked not only by “Captain Marvel” and whatever else China has in the theaters, but after several weeks, Marvel Studios will unleash “Avengers: Endgame.” So that leaves Fox about a month or so worth of time that ‘Rhapsody’ can hope to earn its Chinese box office.
WIll the Chinese market push the film over $1 billion? That would be pretty impressive. We’ll just have to wait and see.