The Freddie Mercury biopic which is set to star comedian and actor Sacha Baron Cohen in the leading role is now due for release sometime in 2014, according to Queen guitarist Brian May.
“The pieces are all falling into place, though we are now on a slightly later schedule – filming is now scheduled to start in the Spring, with Sacha Baron Cohen playing Freddie,” May has said on his official website.
Previously reported to have the simple working title of Mercury, the film’s conclusion has also been said to focus on Queen’s iconic performance at the 1985 Live Aid charity concert – a gig which is credited with kick-starting a new surge in popularity for the band, and which lead to their own headline appearance at Wembley a year later.
“The film should be ready for release early in 2014,” May continues. “We did make some other plans, but they will have to stay under wraps for now. Being in Queen is – bizarrely – as full of surprising twists and turns as ever – 40 years since we first got together, and 20 years after losing Freddie. But of course Freddie is in so many ways very much alive. He must be wryly smiling somewhere!”