When news broke that Sacha Baron Cohen was first in line to play the late Queen star singer Freddie Mercury, cries of hurray were shouted from rooftops. Not only is Cohen the master of slapstick and boundless comedy, he has the makings of an excellent straight actor (please note, not in the sexual sense), which he has highlighted in his big blockbusters over the years, though always keeping his comic sensibility. Unfortunately, according to Empire, the actor/comedian has dropped out of the upcoming picture due to disagreements over the tone the film should display. Are they serious? Who else could do the shooting of 'I Want To Break Free' better than Cohen? Aside from that, and on a more shallow basis, they look uncannily alike.

  

Despite the groundbreaking life Freddie Mercury led, those behind the making of the film must keep it unremarkable in terms of shock value, as Brian May and the remaining members of Queen are demanding it is rated PG. With rights to the soundtrack, script and director approval, the creators have little choice. Sacha Baron Cohen, on the other hand, does, and has so walked away in protest. Unless it's an open, tell-all biopic, the Borat and Les Miserables star says no. Besides considering who will replace Mercury (any guesses? Keep in mind makeup can be transformative. Ezra Miller anyone? Eddie Redmayne?), is anyone else wondering how they will make a PG version of such an iconic and provocative legend?