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Several years ago came news that "Borat" and "Bruno" star Sacha Baron Cohen was linked to a biopic based on the life of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury. The film, which was being produced by remaining band members Brian May and Roger Taylor, was also courting helmers like Stephen Frears and Tom Hooper to direct.

However it never seemed to make much progress, mostly because there were large creative differences over the portrayal of Mercury - May and Taylor said to be very protective of their former frontman. Cohen, out doing "The Brothers Grimsby" promotion, went on the Howard Stern Show (via The Playlist) recently and explained why he opted out of the project:

"[After] my first meeting, I should never have carried on because a member of the band - I won't say who - said, 'This is such a great movie, because such an amazing thing happens in the middle of the movie.

Three special episodes to mark Absolutely Fabulous‘ 20th anniversary were enough to land the iconic comedy series an International Emmy nomination. BBC’s Ab Fab, which won an International Emmy 18 years ago, was one of 38 nominees in nine categories for the 40th International Emmy Awards announced today by the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences at Mipcom. The list also includes two series getting high-profile remakes in the U.S. — Australia’s The Slap, nominated for best drama series, and UK’s Spy, nominated for best comedy series. NBC just ordered an 8-episode event limited series based on The Slap, while ABC is developing an American version of Spy as a put pilot. Also among the nominees is Awake star Jason Isaacs for Case History. As previously announced, the International Academy will present Special Founders Awards to Alan Alda and Norman Lear, while the 2012 International Emmy Founders Award will be presented to producer-writer Ryan Murphy.

Blu-ray & DVD Release Date: Sept. 25, 2012

Price: DVD $14.99, Blu-ray $19.98

Studio: Eagle Rock

Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender offers a music-filled documentary of the late co-founder and lead singer of the rock band Queen.

Produced and directed by Rhys Thomas, life-long Queen fan and expert and the man behind the acclaimed Queen: Days of Our Lives BBC documentary, Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender goes way back to reveal more than ever before the inside story of Freddie’s life and career and the solo projects he worked on outside of Queen.

The extensive archive footage is drawn from rare interviews with Freddie, concerts, video shoots and personal material, much of it being seen for the first time, along with newly filmed contributions from fellow Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor, Queen manager Jim Beach, soprano Montserrat Caballé, composers David Arnold and Mike Moran, lyricist Tim Rice, comedian and lifelong...