Ali G: Who I Iz? is about to set to a major — and likely unwanted — new record on Prime Video.
The comedy flick, which sees Sacha Baron Cohen reprise his role as the infamous character, will make its debut on Amazon‘s streaming platform on Wednesday, October 28.
Why is that such a big deal? Because Who I Iz? was only released in cinemas on Friday, October 23. As such, it’ll be the first film in history to make its streaming debut less than a week after its initial theatrical launch when it drops on one of the world’s best streaming services.
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Amazon hasn’t explained why Who I Iz? will make its premium video on demand (PVOD) so soon after landing in theaters. In fact, the only individual who’s commented on the imminent Prime Video arrival of one of 2026’s many new movies is Cohen himself, with the comedian taking to Ali G’s various social channels to announce the news.
I’ve reached out to Amazon for an official comment on this unprecedented release date decision, but nobody had responded by the time of publication. If I receive a reply, I’ll update this article.
Ali G: Who I Iz? marks the first time in almost 20 years that Cohen has portrayed the titular character. Indeed, Cohen retired his most famous creation in 2007, but revived him for the aforementioned mockumentary feature.
Defending the decision to bring back the controversial character in a Time magazine essay, Cohen wrote: “Why does my new movie bring back that phony and unfunny guy, which some have criticized as ‘microwaving a relic from a generation ago’?
“The fact that Ali G is outdated and problematic is the very reason I resurrected him. The world he’s returned to is, in many ways, worse than the one he left 20 years ago. All the prejudices my characters are designed to expose haven’t just lingered — they’ve metastasized… Twenty years ago, Ali G would sit next to world experts spouting absurdities. Today — fed a steady diet of disinformation and conspiracy theories by social media influencers and TikTok news — we have created an entire world where ignorance reigns and truth is inverted.
“I made this latest film for the same reason I’ve always done this work,” he added. “Not only to make people laugh, but also to bring them face-to-face with the danger of fanaticism and conspiracy theories.”
What do you make of this release strategy? And will you check out Ali G: Who I Iz? on Prime Video? Let me know in the comments.
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tom.power@futurenet.com (Tom Power)
