Picturehouse Cinemas won’t show new Ali G film
Sacha Baron Cohen’s latest venture, the feature film Ali G: Who Iz I?, arrives in cinemas on October 23. It marks a significant moment for Cohen, as it is his first feature-length outing since 2002’s Ali G Indahouse, and it serves as Cohen’s directorial debut.
Despite the anticipation surrounding the film, distribution faces a roadblock. Picturehouse Cinemas, which operates 25 venues across the UK, has confirmed that they currently have no plans to screen the movie upon its release.
This decision comes amidst a vigorous online campaign led by the media-monitoring organisation NewsCord, which is calling on cinema chains worldwide—including Odeon, Cineworld, Vue, Everyman, and Showcase—to refuse to show the film.
The campaign is rooted in serious concerns about the film’s satirical approach. Critics argue that Cohen is using satire as a smokescreen to enforce racist stereotypes, claiming that the characters he portrays perpetuate harmful depictions of marginalized communities. Supporters of the campaign have reportedly sent over 27,000 emails to cinema chains demanding they reconsider their decisions.
The controversy pits the creative choice against social responsibility. Cohen himself had expressed a desire to play it safe in bringing the character back, writing that he thought he would “play it safe and bring this guy back” in an age where a comedian’s career can be derailed by a single insensitive joke.
The story of Ali G, who first appeared on Channel 4’s The 11 O’Clock Show in 1998, is complex. The character was conceived as an ignorant white man from Staines who adopted the slang, clothing, and mannerisms of Black British and Jamaican culture.
In the new film, Ali follows his journey after discovering his girlfriend, Julie, is eight months pregnant. Faced with becoming a father, he travels to the US, recording his encounters with unsuspecting members of the public as he attempts to regain his former status.
The character reflects on the passage of time, noting that while he was “chillin’,” “the world went to crap,” referencing events like COVID and the age of Ed Sheeran.
The film’s tone is further highlighted by the trailer, which drew a reaction from musicians. Ed Sheeran commented enthusiastically, suggesting that Ali G would have put him in a movie, exclaiming, “Tell 10-year-old me that Ali G would put him in his movie. Restecpa.”
Ali G’s cultural footprint is vast, extending beyond satire. He appeared in Madonna’s video for ‘Music’ and released the Shaggy collaboration ‘Me Julie,’ which they performed at the 2002 Brit Awards.
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