Sacha Baron Cohen’s New Ali G Movie Boycotted By UK Cinema Chain

Sacha Baron Cohen’s iconic Staines alter-ego is making a noisy return to the big screen, but audiences might have a hard time finding a place to watch it. Major UK multiplex chain Picturehouse Cinemas has officially distanced itself from the comedian’s latest project, confirming it has zero intentions of putting the picture on its screens. The sudden lockout poses a massive hurdle for *Ali G: Who Iz I?*, which is scheduled to premiere in theaters on October 23. The film represents the character’s first feature-length project since 2002’s cult comedy *Ali G Indahouse*, while also serving as Baron Cohen’s first time stepping behind the camera as a feature film director. Despite the buzz surrounding the character's long-awaited resurrection under Amazon MGM Studios, Picturehouse—which runs 25 theater locations throughout the UK—stated to *Metro* that it currently holds no plans to exhibit the project upon release.

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The theatrical pushback comes on the heels of a fierce online campaign spearheaded by media watchdog organization NewsCord. The advocacy group is actively petitioning international theater operators to reject the feature altogether, explicitly targeting massive chains like Odeon, Cineworld, Vue, Everyman, and Showcase. Campaigners claim that Baron Cohen’s signature brand of comedy crosses the line from edgy parody into harmful prejudice. Activists allege that the actor has long utilized satire as a convenient cover to reinforce harmful stereotypes regarding marginalized populations, calling the return of Ali G an unwarranted revival of a racially offensive caricature.

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While Picturehouse is the first prominent chain to publicly distance itself from the project, it remains unclear if other theater giants will bow to the mounting public pressure before release day. Amazon MGM has not publicly backed down from its scheduled rollout, leaving fans and critics watching closely to see how wide the theatrical release will actually be. For now, Baron Cohen’s directorial debut finds itself at the center of an escalating culture war, proving that even after two decades away, Ali G remains one of pop culture’s most controversial figures.