Sacha Baron Cohen's Freddie Mercury Movie Likely For 2014?

Sacha Baron Cohen was cast as Freddie Mercury in an untitled movie about the Queen frontman back in September of 2010. Over two years later, it appears the project may finally go before cameras.

Last week, Queen guitarist Brian May posted an update about the film on his website:

Ah … I promised news of yesterday's Queen band meeting. Well, it was just Roger and Jim Beach and myself … we are a small cottage industry !! Our main agenda was the Freddie film … which, I'm happy to tell you, is on course. Much of our discussion was about contractual things … it's pretty complex …. and determining who is responsible for what. 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. The film should be ready for release early in 2014.

When the project was first announced, it was thought that production would commence in 2011. Unfortunately, the aforementioned "contractual things" kept the Queen project from moving forward. Cohen will star as Mercury in the film, which will culminate in Queen's Live Aid concert in 1985.

No other casting has been announced for the untitled feature. Earlier this year, it was rumored that Katy Perry could possibly star as Mary Austin, Mercury's longtime companion.

"Katy would love to be in the film as she is such a huge fan," the Mirror quoted one of Perry's friends as saying. "She would want to play Mary Austin ideally. Katy has a similar look to Mary and would be a brilliant foil to Sacha."

As for Cohen, his next film is the controversial comedy "The Lesbian," which is based on Hong Kong billionaire Cecil Chao, who offered a $65 million bounty to any man who could woo his daughter out of her same-sex marriage.

For more from May and Queen, head over to BrianMay.com.

[BrianMay.com via The Film Stage]