The long-gestating, controversy-laden biopic about the rock band Queen is finally moving forward — or so says the band.

A post on the band’s official website said that preproduction will begin next week in Britain, with filming starting in London as early as September. Bryan Singer (the “X-Men” franchise) is set to direct, and Rami Malek, who stars in USA Network’s “Mr. Robot,” has been tapped to play Freddie Mercury.

The film, tentatively titled “Bohemian Rhapsody,” has been in limbo for over 10 years, with various names attached to the director’s chair and Mr. Mercury’s part. Sacha Baron Cohen dropped out of the role in 2013 because of creative differences with the band, including the guitarist Brian May. “Brian May is an amazing musician. But he’s not a great movie producer,” Mr. Baron Cohen said on “The Howard Stern Show” in 2016. (Mr. May responded harshly, saying of Mr. Baron Cohen, “He went off and told untruths about what happened.”) Ben Whishaw was also set to star and then dropped out, and names including Dexter Fletcher and David Fincher circled the project.