Because of the secrecy that goes into making them, new Sacha Baron Cohen projects rarely come with much fanfare until the last possible minute. But once they arrive, they often make a seismic impact on pop culture overnight. It was the case with recent projects like the Showtime series “Who Is America?” and the 2020 film sequel “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,” both of which saw the comedian tricking some of America’s most polarizing political figures into participating in absurd sketches that went viral. Amazon MGM is likely hoping to achieve a similar effect with the upcoming “Ali G: Who Iz I?,” which sees Cohen return to his comedic roots.
The film, which opens in October after being announced in July, sees Cohen once again donning a tracksuit to play Ali G, the character that launched his career.
“Dey haz finally made a documentary about me,” Cohen wrote (in character) in an Instagram post announcing the project. “And it ain’t like dat crap one about da penguins, dis one haz got at least twice as much animal sex. Ali G: Who Iz I? Cominatcha on 10.23 wotever dat means.”
Cohen debuted Ali G, a fictional British man who blatantly (and cluelessly) appropriates elements of hip-hop and British African-Caribbean cultures in aggressive man-on-the-street interviews, on Channel 4’s “The 11 O’Clock Show” in the late 1990s. He expanded on the character in his “Da Ali G Show,” which debuted in 2000. That show also gave him the opportunity to develop his other two most recognizable characters, the propagandistic journalist Borat Sagdiyev and the fashion influencer Brüno Gehard. The show ran from 2000 through 2004, with episodes re-airing on FX in 2014 under the title “Ali G: Rezurection.” Cohen has occasionally reprised the character at award shows over the past decade, but “Who Iz I?” will be his first full project with the character in over 20 years.
Ali G previously received the feature film treatment in the 2002 film “Ali G Indahouse,” directed by Mark Mylod. Cohen takes over directing duties on “Who Iz I?,” which will be his feature debut as a director.
An Amazon MGM release, “Ali G: Who Iz I?” hits theaters on Friday, October 23. Watch the trailer below.
