James Franco continues to portray gender-bending roles despite denying rumours that he's gay. His racy film 'Interior. Leather Bar', which had its viewing in Sundance and Berlin Film Festival in early 2013, has been acquired by Strand Releasing for its U.S. and select foreign rights. A photo of Franco and Travis Mathews in an erotic moment has been released.

Strand Releasing, according to Mathews, "has a long history of pioneering queer art films that challenge the norms of day." Mathews co-directed 'Interior. Leather Bar.' with Franco.

Indiewire reported that the erotic film "is inspired by the rumored 40-minutes of gay S&M footage edited out of the original cut of the 1980 thriller "Cruising," that starred Al Pacino."

While 'Interior. Leather Bar.' explores about queer sex and BDSM, Franco's relation to the gay art porn, as it's co-director and actor, only feeds rumours about his sexuality.

In April, the '127 Hours' actor admitted to Attitude Magazine that it's partly his fault why rumours about his sexuality never ends.

“One of the things that’s very much part of my public image is the question of my sexuality,” he said. “It’s not something that bothers me in the slightest. It hasn’t gone away and I get asked about it from all sides. It’s partly my doing and partly not my doing.”

Franco is known to be a long time advocate of gay rights. His most identifiable gay role was in the 2008 biographical film 'Milk' as the titular role's lover, Scott Smith.

Meanwhile, it has been revealed that the actor will be roasted by Comedy Central. According to Huffington Post, "the roster of roasters for the Comedy Central Roast of James Franco" will include his fellow "This Is The End" co-star Jonah Hill, "SNL" alum Bill Hader and Comedy Central legends Jeff Ross and Sarah Silverman among others.

The "Comedy Central Roast of James Franco" will air in the U.S. on its Labor Day on September 2.