Sacha Baron Cohen drops Freddie Mercury biopic project

A creative dispute with Freddie Mercury's former bandmates appears to behind the actor's decision to abandon the film, Deadline.com reports.

After several years of involvement in plans for a biopic of Queen's charismatic frontman, Sacha Baron Cohen has removed himself from the project entirely.

The British comedian and actor, propelled to worldwide fame through "Borat," envisioned a dark, somber film exploring the singer's troubled side. The surviving members of Queen, however, who hold the right to final approval, were not on board. Deadline.com reports that Freddie Mercury's bandmates would prefer a less controversial portrait of their colleague, who died of complications from AIDS in 1991.

Sacha Baron Cohen's departure calls the entire project into question. He was the driving force behind the film from the start, having sparked the interest of screenwriter Peter Morgan ("Skyfall," "The Queen") to develop the script. The plot was to focus on Queen's legendary Live Aid concert at Wembley in 1985. Tom Hooper, who directed Sacha Baron Cohen in "Les Misérables," was approached by the actor as a possible director.