Daniel Radcliffe to Play Freddie Mercury in Sony Biopic?

The Daily Star reports that Daniel Radcliffe has been offered the role of Freddie Mercury in Sony Pictures and GK Films' upcoming biopic about the legendary Queen frontman.

Sacha Baron Cohen -- originally set to star -- exited the project in July due to creative differences with Mercury's bandmates.

A source told the Star: "Despite his youth, Daniel impressed movie bosses with his portrayal of gay poet Allen Ginsburg in this year's movie Kill Your Darlings. Plus, he's closer in height to Freddie than Sacha, who's much taller. Daniel can really sing, too."

Read the original report here.

Cohen had been attached to the project since 2010, when the remaining members of Queen first began hunting for a screenwriter and director. Cohen approached Tom Hooper and David Fincher earlier this year to helm the film, detailing the lead singer's life, but Mercury's former bandmaters wouldn't sign off on either taking the reins.

?Cohen was adamant about taking the film in a "gritty R-rated tell-all" direction, following the honest events of Mercury's life, while the bandmates wanted a cleaner version that centered around Queen itself.

Radcliffe's recent film work includes roles in Kill Your Darlings, Horns and The F Word. The actor will next be seen on the big screen in Frankenstein. He also recently finished a run starring onstage in Michael Grandage's production of The Cripple of Inishmaan at the West End's Noel Coward Theatre.

The actor is best known for playing the title role in the 'Harry Potter' film franchise. He made his Broadway debut, to much acclaim, in Equus, and made his Broadway musical debut as J. Pierrepont Finch in the recent revival of the Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning How to Suceed in Business Without Really Trying.

Those singing chops will come in handy if Radcliffe accepts this new role. What do you think? Can he pull it off, or do the producers need to look elsewhere for Queen's lead singer?

Photo Credit: Walter McBride

To post a comment, you must register and login.