Bryan Singer Working on Self-Financed Documentary Addressing Sexual Assault Allegations

Famous for directing 2000’s X-Men and 2006’s Superman Returns, Bryan Singer is said to be investing his own resources into the making of a documentary. The goal? To address long-standing sexual assault allegations, reports Variety. Singer’s career, shadowed by accusations dating back to the 1990s, last included his role on 2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody. He was, however, relieved of his duties before the film’s completion due to erratic conduct, extended absences, and emerging accusations of sexual misconduct.

In an effort to salvage his reputation, Singer plans to produce a self-referential documentary, focusing on his personal challenges and addressing the accusations. The director also plans to return to his roots in low-budget cinema, aiming to attract investors to support the production of three new narrative films set in and around Israel, with one occurring in the 1970s. According to another source that spoke to Variety, Singer is also developing a documentary about the 1984 and 1988 Summer Games Gold Medalist and LGBT activist, Louganis.

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The once high-demand director, recognized for superhero blockbusters, amassed over $3 billion at the box office throughout his career. Yet, things took a downturn in 2017 when he was sacked from the Freddie Mercury biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody. Notably, Singer’s publicist severed ties with him while Fox chose not to renew its longstanding contract with his production firm. Subsequent to these events, a lawsuit was filed by Cesar Sanchez-Guzman, accusing Singer of sexual assault in 2003, when Sanchez-Guzman was 17. It should be noted, however, that Fox was reportedly unaware of the impending lawsuit at the time of Singer’s dismissal.

Image courtesy of 20th Century Fox

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A Chronology of Singer’s Sexual Misconduct

The 2003 case was not the first against Singer. Prior suits were filed in 1997 and 2014. The earlier one originated from the guardians of a 14-year-old extra in the film Apt Pupil. They accused Singer of unauthorized filming of their child and other underage cast members in a nude shower scene. While some sources suggest this suit was dropped due to a lack of evidence, others mention an out-of-court settlement.

In 2014, Singer encountered another suit, filed by actor and model Michael Egan. Egan accused Singer of sexually assaulting him in a circle of predators when Egan was between 15 and 17 years old. “They wrecked a teenager’s life, and it has impacted me ever since,” he confessed to The Daily Beast. While Egan didn’t identify the other predators in his suit, he alleged they were “familiar names”. This lawsuit was later withdrawn, but in the same year, an anonymous British man filed another suit accusing Singer of sexual assault. This case was dismissed upon the man’s request.

In the aftermath of the 2017 suit, which ended with a $150,000 settlement approval, Singer tried to resuscitate his career with the comic book adaptation Red Sonja. Following a 2019 exposé, however, the director abandoned the project. The Atlantic exposé detailed accusations from four men claiming Singer assaulted them when they were minors. Singer counter-attacked, labeling the exposé as a “homophobic smear piece” opportunely timed with Bohemian Rhapsody’s success. In light of recurring allegations suggesting a disturbing pattern of behavior in a post-#MeToo era, the success of the director’s upcoming projects remains uncertain.

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