Oscar-winning Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody has received permission to be released in China.

The news came as surprise after China censored star Rami Malek‘s acceptance speech at the Oscars.

The film is expected to be heavily edited before being released via the National Alliance of Arthouse Cinemas (NAAC), removing the scenes in which Malek’s character Freddie Mercury displays intimate relations with other male characters.

Malek, who received the Oscar for Best Actor for playing the iconic Queen frontman in the widely acclaimed film, made a moving acceptance speech at the ceremony.

“Listen, we made a film about a gay man, an immigrant, who lived his life unapologetically himself, and the fact that I’m celebrating him and his story here tonight is proof that we’re longing for stories like this,” Malek said.

Controversy arose when Mango TV, one of the leading streaming services in China, who has an ill-defined, restrictive policy on LGBTQ+ content, censored the speech and translated “gay man” to “special group” in the subtitles.

Although an official date has not yet been announced, a source in the local film industry believes the film will grace the NAAC theaters of China in mid-March.

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