Jeff Scott Soto Was Bothered By The ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ Film

In a recent interview with 101 WRIF, hard rock vocalist Jeff Scott Soto, known for his work with Sons of Apollo and Journey, discussed his musical influences. When Queen was mentioned as one of his favorites, the conversation turned to the 2018 biopic Bohemian Rhapsody.

While Soto expressed his admiration for the band, he did have one reservation about the film. The rock singer’s biggest gripe with the film wasn’t the music or the acting, but something a bit more technical.

According to the singer, the movie had a few issues with its portrayal of the timeline of events.

A fun film with a few nitpicks

The veteran vocalist recently shared his thoughts on the Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody during an interview with 101 WRIF. While he initially expressed his overall enjoyment of the film, he did admit to having a minor critique. Soto acknowledged the challenges the production faced, including director and cast changes.

He even admitted to feeling some initial concern about whether the film would capture the essence that Queen fans craved. Thankfully, according to Soto, the filmmakers delivered: “I really enjoyed it. I liked the way that it turned out… I think they really pulled it off.”

However, Soto also revealed a detail that bothered him as a die-hard fan. “The only thing that bothered me about it were a few timeline issues,” he said. Specifically, he mentioned inconsistencies in Freddie Mercury’s appearance not matching the portrayed timeline.

Soto understood the limitations of condensing a 40-year career into a two-hour movie. “It’s impossible to get everything exactly the way it’s supposed to be unless it’s a documentary,” he explained.  Recognizing that the film wasn’t targeting hardcore fans like himself, Soto concluded, “For others, I think it was incredible. I think it turned out really well.”

A box office smash with a critical divide

The 2018 biopic chronicles the life of Freddie Mercury, Queen’s iconic frontman. The film follows the band’s journey from their formation in 1970 to their electrifying performance at Live Aid in 1985. Directed by Bryan Singer and written by Anthony McCarten, the project brought together producer Graham King and Queen’s manager Jim Beach.

Bohemian Rhapsody‘s reception was far from unanimous. While critics lauded the film’s musical sequences and Rami Malek’s captivating portrayal of Mercury, other aspects drew criticism. Singer’s direction, the accuracy of the band’s story, and the creative liberties taken with the narrative sparked debate.

Despite the mixed reviews, Bohemian Rhapsody resonated with audiences. It became a global box office phenomenon, grossing over $910 million worldwide. This massive success, achieved on a production budget of around $50 million, placed the film as the sixth-highest-grossing film of 2018 and a record-breaker for both biographical and drama genres.

Soto nearly took over the vocal duties for Queen

Following the tragic loss of Freddie Mercury, Queen faced the daunting task of finding a new frontman. Years passed before Adam Lambert joined the band in 2012, but a recent interview reveals another singer was once considered.

Soto shared that he was actually in talks with Queen to potentially fill the irreplaceable role.  While details remain scarce, the singer did confirm discussions occurred “a short little window of time before Adam.” He respectfully declined to elaborate further, citing his friendship with the band members.

So, while the world knows Queen with Adam Lambert, it seems another talented vocalist was briefly considered to carry the torch of Freddie Mercury’s legacy.