The iconic musician was heavily involved in the making of the movie, which became a record-breaking success worldwide. With Rami Malek playing Freddie Mercury, Bohemian Rhapsody even won four Academy Awards - more than any other film this year. Speaking to Zoe Ball on BBC Radio 2 yesterday, May laughed off the suggestion that he and Roger Taylor have been basking in royalties from its box office glory. “There’s a thing in the paper saying we were getting rich off this movie,” he said.

“If they only knew! “We had an accountant the other day and we still haven’t earned a penny from it - isn’t that funny? “How successful does a movie have to be before you make any money! “There’s so many people of course who will take pieces off the top.”

Queen icon Brian May is proud of Bohemian Rhapsody

The movie broke box office records

But he added: “The feeling of it so great, the fact it’s out there. “And I think Freddie comes out of it with his dignity, without being whitewashed in any way.” He had earlier told Ball that he was pleasantly surprised by just how well it did. “It was a long labour of love, 12 years in development,” he recalled.

Brian May has a number of projects on the boil

Rami Malek played Freddie in the film