Sacha Baron Cohen Pulls Out of Freddie Mercury Biopic

According to Deadline, " The Dictator" funnyman Sacha Baron Cohen, who lately took a turn to serious town with a role in " Les Miserables," has pulled out of the starring role in a biopic about the legendary Freddie Mercury, citing "creative differences" with Mercury's band, Queen.

Apparently Cohen was expecting a raunchier, R-rated depiction of Mercury's scandalous lifestyle, while the band was angling for something tamer and more "family friendly." The project has generated a lot of buzz, with "The Queen" screenwriter Peter Morgan on board, as well as Graham King and Robert De Niro as producers. It would also be daring new frontier for Cohen, who has mastered the art of satirical, hidden-camera comedy, but rarely takes on dramatic roles, let alone characters based on real people.

Mercury, a huge gay icon and one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, died of an AIDS-related illness in 1991.