Although the actor has been attached to the project for some time, Deadline is reporting that Sacha Baron Cohen is dropping out of the planned Freddie Mercury biopic. The site reports that the Borat star’s take on what the film should entail is not in line with the remaining members of Queen, who have final approval over both the script and director.
The film is being produced by Graham King with Tim Headington, who produced Martin Scorsese’s Hugo, also co-starring Cohen, in partnership with Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal’s Tribeca Productions and Queen Films. Peter Morgan wrote the screenplay along with Stephen J. Rivele and Christopher Wilkinson (Ali).
Baron Cohen starred last year in The Dictator, Les Miserables and, as a voice, in Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted. He can be seen coming up in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.
(Photo Credit: Dan Jackman / WENN.com)
