Rami Malek calls Freddie Mercury costume tests 'overwhelmingly cool'

Sept. 1 (UPI) -- Rami Malek has teased fans on Twitter that photos of himself portraying Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in upcoming biopic Bohemian Rhapsody will soon be released.

"I just had my make up, hair and costume tests as #FreddieMercury and it was overwhelmingly cool and truly unforgettable. Pics coming soon," the actor wrote Thursday of his experience dressing up as the iconic singer.

Malek was cast as Mercury, who died in 1991 due to complications from AIDS, in Nov. 2016 after Sacha Baron Cohen dropped out of the long-gestating project.

The film is set to be helmed by X-Men series director Bryan Singer from a script written by Anthony McCarten. Mercury's bandmates Brian May and Roger Taylor are serving as music producers.

On Wednesday, Downton Abbey star Allen Leech was cast as Mercury's personal manager Paul Prenter, Deadline reported. The cast also includes Ben Hardy as Taylor, Gwilym Lee as May and Joe Mazzello as John 'Decay' Deacon, the bassist and composer who handled Queen's financials.

Bohemian Rhapsody is set to hit theaters on Dec. 25, 2018.