Sacha Baron Cohen completes secret Ali G movie, reports say
Sacha Baron Cohen has finished shooting a new Ali G film in secret, according to reports cited by The Guardian and Digital Spy. Production wrapped after filming in Oxfordshire and the US, roughly 24 years after Ali G Indahouse, but Cohen's team has not confirmed a title, release date, or distributor. Representatives for the star declined to comment when approached by The Guardian.
Key Takeaways
- Reports say Sacha Baron Cohen has completed a secret Ali G movie, roughly 24 years after 2002's Ali G Indahouse.
- Filming reportedly took place in Oxfordshire and the US; a title and release date remain unconfirmed.
- The project was first rumoured in 2023 and was reportedly delayed by US writers' and actors' strikes.
- Like Borat and Brüno, the film is believed to feature interviews with unsuspecting subjects.
- The Times questioned whether the joke still works now that Cohen is 55 and widely recognisable.
What do we know about the new Ali G movie?
According to The Guardian, The InSneider reported that Sacha Baron Cohen has wrapped production on a new Ali G feature. Baron Cohen was spotted in character in Oxfordshire last summer, and filming also took place in the United States.
Digital Spy notes that neither a title nor a release date has been officially confirmed by Cohen. Representatives for the star declined to comment when approached by The Guardian. It remains unclear whether the film already has a distributor or is being shopped to buyers.
The untitled project marks Ali G's first big-screen lead role since Ali G Indahouse in 2002. That earlier film starred Martin Freeman and Kellie Bright and followed a more traditional narrative than Cohen's Borat and Brüno movies. Digital Spy says it is not yet known whether the sequel will follow the same format.
Why was the Ali G film shot in secret?
The Guardian reports that the new Ali G movie was shot in secret, mirroring the approach Cohen used on Borat, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, and 2009's Brüno. That secrecy helps preserve the surprise when Ali G interviews people who may not realise they are part of a comedy setup.
Ali G, a shellsuit-wearing figure from Staines-upon-Thames who appropriates hip-hop culture, first appeared on Channel 4's The 11 O'Clock Show in 1998 as the "voice of da yoof." He later fronted Da Ali G Show alongside Cohen's other creations Borat and Brüno. Past Ali G interviews have included figures such as Newt Gingrich and Tony Benn.
Cohen declared both Ali G and Borat retired in 2007, but both characters have returned. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm arrived in 2020, while Ali G resurfaced at the 2012 British Comedy Awards, in Ali G: Rezurection, and at the 2016 Oscars.
Will the Ali G joke still be funny in 2026?
The Times asked whether the gag still lands, noting that Cohen is now 55 and famous enough to be instantly recognised. That fame makes duping interview subjects far harder than during Ali G's original Channel 4 run in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
In September 2021, Cohen told interviewers he had tested Ali G at secret comedy sets because he missed hearing a live audience laugh. "When I do the movies, I think it is funny, but I have to wait three months to hear an audience laugh," he said, adding that he would consider reprising the role on the big screen.
Cohen returned to live-action films earlier this year after a six-year gap, appearing in Balls Up and Netflix's Ladies First. The Guardian reported that Ladies First was poorly received by critics, making this secret Ali G project a high-profile creative swing.
When might the Ali G movie be released?
No release window has been announced. The Guardian says a return was first rumoured in 2023, but the project was reportedly delayed by the US writers' and actors' strikes. Until Cohen or a studio confirms distribution, fans have only reports to go on.
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