Campaign Sends 55,000 Emails to Cinemas Ahead of Ali G Sequel Release

Fifty-five thousand emails reached cinema exhibitors in the United Kingdom and United States as an online campaign sought to block the theatrical release of Sacha Baron Cohen’s new film. The digital push accompanied the debut of Ali G: Who Iz I?, a satirical sequel that opened in limited theaters on Oct. 23.

NewsCord, a British media activism platform, coordinated the effort. The group states that its tools, powered by a specialized language model, helped users draft and send complaints to major chains including Cineworld, Odeon, Landmark and Cinemark. The platform removed Picturehouse from its target list after the London-based chain confirmed it had no intention of showing the film.

The campaign began after the first trailer aired on Aug. 25. British commentator Afua Hirsch criticized the character’s portrayal of Black culture and women, describing the humor as outdated and demeaning. Cohen has previously noted that the character satirizes white British young people who imitate exaggerated versions of Black American and Black British styles.

Monica Levinson, an executive producer on the project, addressed the backlash in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. She acknowledged that some resistance was expected but described the attacks on Cohen for being Jewish as disheartening. Levinson stated, “The coordination, messaging and scale of the attack has been astounding.”

Cohen integrated the controversy into the film’s promotion. He initially joked that reviving the character was a safe move in an era where offensive jokes can end careers. He later released a clip playing a progressive academic who advocated for a boycott on behalf of a fictional group called the Campaign for Ethical Comedy.

NewsCord was incubated by the nonprofit Tech for Palestine. That organization has faced scrutiny for its efforts to influence Wikipedia entries related to the Israel-Palestine conflict. Critics include Tel Aviv University’s Institute for National Security Studies and the Anti-Defamation League. Neither NewsCord nor Tech for Palestine responded to inquiries from The Hollywood Reporter.

Other initiatives linked to Tech for Palestine have targeted entertainment releases. In Oct. 2024, founder Paul Biggar accused Israel of manipulating IMDb reviews. He provided instructions to counter the popularity of four documentaries regarding the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks. Another app, Boycat, has promoted boycotts of Disney’s Snow White and Captain America: Brave New World.

The film received mixed reviews during its limited theatrical run and is now available on Amazon Prime Video. Amazon described the initial rollout as a “stunt release.” NewsCord declared its campaign a success based on this limited distribution plan, citing the 55,000 individual participants in its email drive.