Freddie Mercury Biopic in jeopardy with departure of Sacha Baron Cohen

With Sacha Baron Cohen's announcement that he was leaving the production of the Freddie Mercury biopic screenwriter Peter Morgan has told the BBC that the film will "probably not . . . happen."

Cohen clashed with Queen members Roger Taylor and Brian May over the movie with the actor wanting a "gritty R-rated tell-all" while the band "wanted to make more of a PG movie."

Cohen had also brought in David Fincher, Tom Hooper and others to develop the project, but none had been approved by May and Taylor. No director has been attached to the picture.