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UK cinema chain Picturehouse Cinemas has said they have ‘no plans’ to show the upcoming Sacha Baron Cohen comedy film Ali G: Who Iz I?
The entertainment company confirmed that the movie, featuring the comedian’s faux-streetwise poseur character Ali G, won’t be shown at any Picturehouse cinemas in the country after its release in October.
The decision comes after an online campaign demanded cinemas worldwide refuse to screen the movie due to ‘satire using a cover for enforcing racist stereotypes’.
The campaign, started by media watchdog platform NewsCord, alleged Baron Cohen has ‘enforced harmful stereotypes across marginalised communities through his characters’.
Furthermore, they added that the film’s studio, Amazon MGM, has ‘revived a racist caricature’.
Picturehouse, which has 25 cinemas across the UK, told Metro in a statement: ‘We currently do not have any plans to screen this film on its release.’
At the time of publication, NewCord has sent upwards of 27,000 emails from supporters to various cinemas demanding the film isn’t shown internationally.
The trailer for the mockumentary, based on the Channel 4 comedy series, was released earlier this week, showing the fictional character ambushing unsuspecting real people and public figures.
The real story unfolds when Ali G discovers his longtime girlfriend Julie, now played by Morgana Robinson, is eight months pregnant and so he heads to America to reclaim his former glory before becoming a father.
The Borat star joked about negative reactions to the trailer on X, writing alongside it: ‘In an age where a comedian’s career can be ended by a single un-PC joke, I thought I’d play it safe and bring this guy back.’
Cohen made his name playing the foul-mouthed Staines massive wannabe, first appearing on Channel 4’s The 11 O’Clock Show in 1998.
Despite announcing the character’s retirement in 2007, the comedian has popped up here and there as Ali G in recent years, shocking a comedy club audience in Sydney in 2021 when he appeared on stage in character and performed a stand-up set.
Earlier this year he made a surprise appearance at Wimbledon during the lengthy, sweltering men’s final match.
Cohen’s more recent credits include the gender-swap satire Ladies First, which performed well on Netflix’s ranking of top films but was universally panned by critics when it dropped this May.
Metro has contacted representatives for Sacha Baron Cohen and Amazon MGM for comment.