AceShowbiz -

After having long been attached to portray Freddie Mercury in a feature biopic, Sacha Baron Cohen is now reported making his way out of the project. First breaking the news, Deadline learns that the English actor, best known for his alter-ego Borat Sagdiyev, has dropped out of the movie following creative differences with the remaining members of Queen.

According to the report, the rock band who has script and director approval wants the film to be a PG one. On the other hand, Cohen has always envisioned it to be a gritty R-rated look at the life of the talented gay singer. The actor even had brought in scribe Peter Morgan and various directors like David Fincher and Tom Hooper to develop it, but none of them were approved.

Following the dispute, it is unknown how the movie, which is being developed by Sony Pictures and GK Films, will proceed from here. Other details are currently unavailable.

Cohen was signed on in September 2010. The casting choice has always been considered a top one since the 41-year-old husband of actress Isla Fisher indeed bears a resemblance to the Parsi-born singer, who died of complications from AIDS in 1991.

Before Cohen, "The Lone Ranger" star Johnny Depp was reportedly linked to the project as well.