Ali G is back after more than 20 years, but he’ll only be in cinemas here for two days.
Ali G: Who Iz I? will be in theaters nationwide on Friday and Saturday.
The new film was filmed in complete secrecy over the past year, according to the Daily Mail. The mockumentary follows the character’s life since “the world went to hell,” alongside his pregnant girlfriend, played by actress Morgana Robinson.
NewsCord, a British media monitoring platform, launched a campaign just one day after the trailer was released, urging movie theaters worldwide to refuse to screen the film.
Sacha Baron Cohen's directorial debut surrounded by controversy
The campaign also cited previous criticism of the character, including comments by Black comedians who called Ali G “an alibi for racism” in 2000. It also referenced author Jeanette Winterson, who questioned how the character differed from racist minstrel shows.
Sony Pictures UK’s slogan for the film, “He’s back. We’re not responsible,” only added fuel to the controversy.
The movie marks Sacha Baron Cohen’s directorial debut.