Sacha Baron Cohen Wraps Secret Ali G Movie
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- Sacha Baron Cohen has wrapped filming on a new Ali G movie in secret ("sub rosa"), with no additional details released and his representative declining to comment.
- Cohen is a three-time Oscar nominee whose covert filming approach enables his man-on-the-street pranks, as seen when he ambushed former NY Mayor Rudy Giuliani in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, which earned two Oscar nominations.
- Ali G originated on Channel 4's The 11 O'Clock Show, later headlined Da Ali G Show on HBO, and starred in the 2002 feature Ali G Indahouse, which grossed $23M-plus abroad but never received a domestic U.S. release.
- The Ali G character has interviewed Donald Trump before his presidency and U.N. Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, while Cohen's 2006 Borat earned $262.5M worldwide.
- The Insneider was first to report the Ali G movie news.
Why it matters: Cohen's secrecy-first production method previously produced a $262.5M box office hit (Borat) and a two-time Oscar-nominated sequel, making the approach itself the franchise's proven marketing engine. The absence of any plot, cast, or release date details means the studio is betting on Cohen's ambush style carrying audience interest — but the original 2002 Ali G Indahouse never got a domestic release despite $23M-plus abroad, underscoring the franchise's uneven U.S. track record.
