Sacha Baron Cohen Steps Out Of Freddie Mercury Biopic: Who'll Play The Queen Frontman Now?

Sacha Baron Cohen AKA Ali G AKA Borat AKA... you get it, was an example of a truly fitting casting decision when it was announced he'd be playing Freddie Mercury in a biopic about the late Queen lead singer's life, with even Brian May and Roger Taylor on board to contribute a few tunes and make sure the film was headed in the right direction.

Strong-Willed Guitarist Brian May Is On Board For Queen Movie.

It's true, there's few more perfect to play iconic Queen frontman Freddie Mercury than British comic Sacha Baron Cohen: the looks, the eccentricity, the infectious energy and the unquestionably self-confident flair. However, the 41 year-old actor has pulled out of the planned biopic due to "creative differences," confirms Baron Cohen's manager via Variety. According to Deadline, the band were after a more PG-ready film whilst Baron Cohen pushed for a grittier tell-all R-rated version that would take a deeper look at the talented singer's life both on and off the stage.

Sacha Baron Cohen is OUT Of Freddie Mercury Biopic.

The biopic's been a while in the works so it looks like it won't be scrapped even though their leading man has jumped ship. But who will replace the unique comedian to play the iconic frontman? No rumours are circulating for a fresh casting yet, presumably as producers take stock and decide on their next move but we've had a few ideas on who could take over...

Eric Bana: A Good Baron Cohen Replacement?

We reckon Eric Bana would be a good fit for the role - the Australian actor has had a strong acting career so far (Hulk, Troy, The Time Traveler's Wife), looks the part and proved he can sing having released football comedy album Out of Bounds in 1994. If 44 year-old heartthrob Bana is a wee bit over age to play Mercury, it's already been rumoured that French actor Jérémy Kapone will play the rocker in his formative years but we've also noticed that The Perks of Being A Wallflower actor Ezra Miller could pass off as a younger version of the frontman and he too could have a shot at emulating the arrogance of the 'We Will Rock You' singer, as we saw in his terrifyingly good turn in We Need To Talk About Kevin.

Could Ezra Miller Step Into The Shoes Of The Iconic Queen Singer?

Then again, 30 Seconds to Mars rocker and Requiem for a Dream actor Jared Leto pulls off a 'tache well and has a well-honed lead singer swagger from performing with his rock band as well as having shown himself to be a versatile performer on screen. Before Baron Cohen had been confirmed to be taking on the character, Pirates of the Caribbean actor Johnny Depp was strongly rumoured to be taking on the role. Could he be asked to step in? He's certainly shown off his kooky and eccentric side in films like Alice in Wonderland and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory but would the 50 year-old accept a fellow actor's scraps?

Could Jared Leto Pull Off The Legendary Rocker?