'James Bond' star Ben Whishaw is set to star as Queen's Freddy Mercury in an upcoming biopic.

Sacha Baron Cohen had initially been picked to play the flamboyant rock icon, but pulled out of the movie in July, citing creative differences.

Now filmmakers have turned to British actor Whishaw to take on the project, which will be produced by the band's surviving members Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon, according to Britain's Daily Mail newspaper.

Taylor hinted at the new casting on Friday, when he stated in a TV interview that an actor with the initials "BW" had become the frontrunner for the role.