Sacha Baron Cohen has dropped out of the Freddie Mercury biopic.
According to Deadline, the comedian and the remaining members of Queen weren’t dancing to the same tune: the band wanted a PG Queen story for the as-yet-untitled film, while Cohen was aiming for more of a “gritty R-rated tell-all” centered on the late gay singer.
Last we checked in on the film, Queen guitarist Brian May had said “contractual things” were holding up a shoot and release date, but that things would get started in the Spring 2013 with a drop in 2014.
Sounds like those contractual things didn’t suss out.
Cohen had tapped “Frost/Nixon” writer Peter Morgan to pen the script. May, John Deacon and Roger Taylor — Queen’s living bandmates — never got around to picking a prospective director, even though big-hitters like David Fincher and Cohen’s “Les Miserables” helmer Tom Hooper were in talks.
Graham King and Tim Headington have been on board to produce the Sony Pictures and GK Films flick. Cohen had been on board to play Mercury since 2010. May has not commented on the story in his social media outlets as of press time.