Sacha Baron Cohen to Play Freddie Mercury?

[TinkTonks]

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Baron-Cohen-Mercury-Queen-1023201.aspx

Sacha Baron Cohen is going from Borat to "Bohemian Rhapsody."

The comedian is set to play Freddie Mercury in a biopic about the iconic Queen frontman, GK Films announced Friday.

Currently untitled, the film will chronicle the group's early years, culminating with its historic performance at Live Aid in 1985. Mercury died in 1991 of AIDS.

Oscar-nominated screenwriter Peter Morgan (The Queen, Frost/Nixon) will pen the screenplay. GK Films is producing alongside Robert De Niro's Tribeca Productions and Queen Films.

"Queen is one of the greatest rock bands of all time, and a music brand all unto itself. Freddie Mercury was an awe-inspiring performer, so with Sacha in the starring role coupled with Peter's screenplay and the support of Queen, we have the perfect combination to tell the real story behind their success," GK Films' Graham King said in a statement.

Rights to Queen tunes, such as "Another One Bites the Dust," "Bohemian Rhapsody," "We Are the Champions" and "We Will Rock You," have been secured for the film, which begins production next year.

It is unclear if Baron Cohen will do his own singing in the film or if Mercury's vocals will be used. The Bruno star showed off his vocal chops in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

I went through a few pages but didn't see this posted...apologies if I missed it.

So, an thoughts about this? I had heard rumblings about this ages ago, but this is a recent story. From what I have seen on the internet, people *hate* the casting choice....it's Borat! But Freddie was a flamboyant person on stage, he was a complete showman. I can see Cohen pulling this off. Remember he is an actor. I don't see him being all Boratish for this, not with who all is involved in production.

 

[Crockett]

There's a thread for this already.
http://forums.superherohype.com/showthread.php?t=341844

 

[TinkTonks]

Ah, didn't look in the movies forum. I just looked here since it *is* music related too....