Ali G is back “indahouse” for a sequel to the Sacha Baron Cohen movie that propelled the comedian’s streetwear-clad suburban interviewer to worldwide fame. The white guy from South England who speaks in a faux British Jamaican accent first captured people’s attention in The 11 O’Clock Show, a satirical late-night program on British TV. He appeared as the “voice of da yoof,” serving as a correspondent who spoke to England’s underserved populations. Cohen continued the character in Da Ali G Show in 2000, before releasing 2002’s Ali G Indahouse.
The raucuous comedian has now confirmed that the character is officially back. In an Instagram video posted Wednesday, Cohen announced that Ali G: Who Iz I? will be released in theaters on Oct. 23, 2026. Wearing a burgundy tracksuit, a gold chain and yellow-tinted glasses, Cohen declared himself to be representing “the west side of Staines-upon-Thames” before telling viewers that he’s back with this first movie “in 20 decades.” The movie is billed as a documentary, which means it’s likely to follow the guerrilla tactics of 2006’s Oscar-nominated Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan and 2009’s Bruno, wherein Cohen entered real-life situations fully in character while his bewildered subjects were left to deal with his antics.
The movie has been in the works for a while. Reports suggest that production was halted due to the various Hollywood industry strikes in 2023. Cohen was finally spotted filming scenes in character near Oxfordshire last summer. Much like Borat and Bruno, Ali G: Who Iz I? was shot in secret. That means it’s likely to include a lot of unsuspecting interview subjects who have no idea they’re talking to the famous British comedian in wannabe gangster drag.
Some of Ali G’s most famous interview subjects include President Donald Trump, linguist Noam Chomsky, power couple David and Victoria Beckham and former U.S. Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. Trump appeared visibly annoyed by Ali G’s comically ignorant questions in 2003, which included asking Trump what his last name was and presenting him with a business idea about “ice cream gloves.” Trump quickly walked out of the interview, but not before wishing Ali G good luck with his enterprise.
In his 2001 interview with the Beckhams, the famous duo was a lot more jovial than Trump. The pair happily took questions about their relationship, their parenting and their careers, with Ali suggesting that Victoria teach their son Brooklyn how to roll “his first spliff.”
Ali G: Who Iz I? was directed by Cohen in his first feature-length directorial debut. It will be distributed by Amazon MGM studios. Though some fans will inevitably be happy to see this character brought back, not everyone is so elated. Writing in The Guardian, columnist Arwa Mahdawi decried the resurrection of this long-lost persona. “It’s possible, of course, that Baron Cohen has found a zeitgeisty way to reboot Ali G; one which doesn’t punch down or wade into the sort of nasty racial stereotyping that the comedian can sometimes perpetuate,” she wrote. “But if he has, then it wasn’t on show during his Wimbledon outing, which was full of cringe ganja jokes.”
The good news is that Cohen has a lot to fall back on should this movie not work. He starred as Mephisto in the Marvel Cinematic Universe series Ironheart last year, which premiered on Disney+. The actor was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in 2020’s The Trial of the Chicago 7, which came after an apperance in other serious roles in movies like Les Miserables and Hugo. This year, he starred in the comedies Balls Up and Ladies First, both of which premiered via streaming to negative reviews.
