And so it begins: A hologram of Freddie Mercury will reportedly perform alongside his former bandmates when Queen takes the stage next Monday for a special show commemorating the 10th anniversary of the hit jukebox musical We Will Rock You.

"It's a little unfortunate they did that thing with Tupac as we've been trying to make Freddie appear on the stage for quite a while," guitarist Brian May told the BBC, adding that Mercury's hologram will not employ the same technology used by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg to bring the late rapper to life at Coachella last month.

May wouldn't elaborate, but called the "effect" being used "an optical illusion of sorts."

Just two weeks ago, drummer Roger Taylor told Rolling Stone he refused to share a stage with a Freddie Mercury hologram.

"I don't want to sit up here with a hologram of my dear friend," Taylor told the magazine.

He did, however, leave some wiggle room by saying he didn't personally object to someone else using a Mercury hologram, but "it just didn't sit too well with me."

[photo via AP]