As the one-time purveyor of piss-take documentaries, it seems Sacha Baron Cohen is moving into a more serious, albeit flamboyant, role starring as Queen front man Freddie Mercury in a new biopic.

The as-yet untitled film will start production next year and will follow the story of Queen, from their definitive performance at the 1985 Live Aid.

The producers have reportedly obtained the rights to Queen’s most popular hits, saying in a statement that “Freddie Mercury was an awe-inspiring performer, so with Sacha in the starring role coupled with Peter’s screenplay and the support of Queen, we have the perfect combination to tell the real story behind their success.”

At least he’ll be able to re-use his g-string beach apparel.

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