News

Michael Gambon, the Irish-English actor best known for his role as Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore in six of the “Harry Potter” movies, has died, Variety has confirmed. He was 82.

“We are devastated to announce the loss of Sir Michael Gambon,” his family said in a statement. “Beloved husband and father, Michael died peacefully in hospital with his wife Anne and son Fergus at his bedside, following a bout of pneumonia.”

While it is easier for a character actor, often working in supporting roles, to rack up a large number of credits than it is for lead actors, Gambon was enormously prolific, with over 150 TV or film credits in an era when half that number would be impressive and unusual — and this for a man whose body of stage work was also prodigious.

He played two real kings of England: King Edward VII in “The Lost Prince” (2003) and his son, King George V,...

Sacha Baron Cohen, the actor and comedian behind the iconic characters of Borat, Bruno, and Ali G, is reportedly working on a new Ali G movie. According to Daniel Richtman, Cohen has been secretly developing the project without much publicity. The movie would be a sequel to the 2002 comedy Ali G Indahouse, which was the first of four films based on Cohen’s characters from Da Ali G Show.

Ali G Indahouse followed the exploits of Ali G, a wannabe gangster from Staines who becomes a pawn in a political plot to overthrow the Prime Minister of Great Britain. The film featured Cohen’s trademark satirical humor and outrageous antics, as well as appearances by other Da Ali G Show characters, such as Borat and Bruno. The film was a box office success, grossing over £17 million worldwide.

The Dictator Trailer

Cohen has not confirmed or denied the rumors of a new Ali G movie,...

Ask any millennial if they remember Dick and Dom in Da Bungalow, and their reply will probably be:

“Bogieeeessss!”

Once they’ve stopped gleefully screaming the show’s catchphrase, they’ll tell you it was a weekend kids’ TV programme on the BBC presented by Richard ‘Dick’ McCourt and Dominic Wood – aka comedy duo Dick and Dom – and it was also pure, unadulterated, I’m-writing-to-Ofcom chaos.

Dick and Dom in Da Bungalow – whose name was a parody of the Sacha Baron Cohen film Ali G InDaHouse – aired between 2002 and 2006. It became a cult hit with kids and students alike, thanks to its puerile humour, its complete absurdity (once a cat randomly appeared and sang a song about Stoke-on-Trent) and the fact that Dick and Dom seemed to be having the absolute time of their lives making total havoc on live TV.

Was there any kind of format to this live mayhem?...

Sacha Baron Cohen is rumored to reprise the role that catapulted him to fame, Ali G. Cohen is known for his character-driven comedy. Fans have been yearning for the revival of the classic character.

The news that Cohen is currently working on Ali G projects was shared by Above the Line editor Jeff Sneider in a podcast appearance. Although Sneider was cautious in his revelation, his hints were as tantalizing as the aroma wafting from a gourmet kitchen. He suggested that the mercurial Cohen is orchestrating an Ali G project, but with the secrecy of a magician guarding his tricks.

Sneider’s words were careful yet filled with hope. He acknowledged that Cohen, ever the enigmatic showman, is a master at concealing his plans. Even so, Sneider couldn't help but share his speculation that this could very well be a film project in the making, rather than a TV series.

Tubi originals for April include “Dead Hot,” co-starring Vanessa Hudgens and Gg Magree. They play witchcraft students who long to connect with the spirit world. But when a ghost hunt goes wrong, they head to Salem, Massachusetts, for a masterclass.

“A Good Man,” another streamer original, lands on April 13. A man enters a new relationship in the aftermath of his wife’s affair. But soon, things go awry when he notices familiar signs of betrayal.

The four movies that comprise “The Scorpion King” arrive April 1. A prequel and spinoff of “The Mummy,” the first movie, in 2002, is a sorcery action-adventure film starring starring Dwayne Johnson, Steven Brand, Kelly Hu, Grant Heslov, and Michael Clarke Duncan. An evil ruler wants to conquer the tribes of the desert.

Jim Carrey fans will want to revisit the two “Ace Ventura” comedies. Carrey shows off his gift for physical comedy, while creating a wacky...

Back in 2006 British TV comedian Sacha Baron Cohen took the world by storm when he wrote, produced, and starred in the outlandish mockumentary film “Borat.” The title character, a guileless Kazakh journalist, had already appeared in various projects over the preceding decade, including the HBO series “Da Ali G Show” and the 2002 film “Ali G Indahouse.” It was not until he was given his own film, however, that he truly broke into the zeitgeist and his creator experienced his greatest success.

Though he had a BAFTA Award and four Emmy bids to his name prior to “Borat,” Baron Cohen’s popularity rose to new heights upon the film’s release and his comedic genius attracted widespread acclaim. The film outgrossed “Ali G Indahouse” tenfold and became a serious awards contender in 2007. Baron Cohen ended up winning a Golden Globe for his acting and earned WGA and Oscar nominations for co-writing the screenplay.

Ben Affleck (“The Way Back”) and Sacha Baron Cohen sat down for a virtual chat for Variety‘s Actors on Actors, presented by Amazon Studios. For more, click here.

Ben Affleck earned some of the best reviews of his career for “The Way Back.” The Warner Bros. drama — one of the final big theatrical releases before the pandemic — depicts a high school basketball coach struggling with the demons of alcoholism, a disease that Affleck, now sober, has lived through. It’s a grounded and frank take on human-scale issues that found a fan in Sacha Baron Cohen.

The British actor had two splashy big-screen outings in 2020: First, as “Flower Power” activist Abbie Hoffman in Aaron Sorkin’s “The Trial of the Chicago 7” on Netflix, and then as the gonzo Kazakh journalist in “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm.” In the “Borat” sequel, made in secret and released by Amazon Studios before the election,...

Former agent George Monkland and producer Rowena Wallace have united to launch Peach House, a London-based talent management and production outfit that has the backing of fledgling management collective Tricycle Talent.

Peach House will represent a wide variety of emerging and established U.K. and international actors, musicians, writers and directors across film, TV and theatre. Crucially, the business’s production capabilities, à la Wallace, will allow clients to produce projects in-house.

The outfit’s client roster includes actors Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir (“Woman at War”), Thibault de Montalembert and Ingvar Sigurdsson, screenwriter Ben Bond (“The Drifters”) and director Matt Chambers (“The Bike Thief”).

Projects in development include the BFI-co-produced “Lit,” the first feature from filmmaker Laura Kirwan-Ashman, which is currently in development; “Killing Dad,” a comedy feature from Peach House client Henry David; and event series “Tigers In Red Winter,” in collaboration with “The Night Manager’s” Stephen Garrett.

Prior to Peach House,...

Exclusive: CAA has signed award-winning British actor Martin Freeman.

Freeman is renowned for his many roles including Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit trilogy as well as CIA agent Everett Ross Marvel’s Black Panther and Captain America: Civil War.

On TV, Freeman played Watson on BBC’s Sherlock of which he counts two supporting actor miniseries/movie noms and one win in 2014. The Aldershot, Hampshire native also counts a 2011 BAFTA supporting actor win for Sherlock. He was also nominated for both a Golden Globe and Emmy in the lead actor miniseries/movie category for his turn as Lester Nygaar in FX’s first season of MGM’s Fargo.

Freeman studied at the Central School of Speech and Drama. Other notable roles include Tim Canterbury in the UK’s famed version of The Office. Feature credits include Ali G Indahouse, Love Actually, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, The World’s End,...

Screen considers potential runners and riders.

The BBC is likely to announce its new head of film within the next two weeks, according to sources close to the process.

Scroll down for potential candidates and the original job spec

That timetable should come as a relief to those under consideration for the role and to wider industry who will want to begin building or growing their relationship with the new boss.

The job, which is considered one of the UK’s most prestigious posts, became vacant in autumn 2016 following the departure of long-time chief Christine Langan. BBC Films veteran Joe Oppenheimer has been serving as acting head of film since then.

The incoming head of film is expected to have an annual war chest of around £12m for production, cementing BBC Films’ position as one the three mainstays of public funding in the UK along with the BFI and Film4.

The organisation advertised the position (as ‘director...

In the age of the internet, you can get people to pretty much say anything. It doesn't matter if they're dead, alive, famous, or infamous . if they've said it on camera, they'll say it forever. And if you're a really good editor, like the person who put together the video you see below, you can even make them sing a pop song that recently made waves.  Say "hello" to this creative rendition of Adele's hit of the same name. Matthijs Vlot is the YouTube artist we have to thank for this musical montage, and much like montages of the past, this video crosses through several eras of Hollywood history. Starting with an awkward initial greeting by Sacha Baron Cohen in Ali G Indahouse and finishing off with the trippy visage of a scattered Homer Simpson in The Simpsons Movie, we only get to see the intro and the first chorus...

This week, Entourage fans get to watch the boys bring their brand of Hollywood bro-ishness to the big screen, nearly four years after the TV series aired its final episode. Of course, it's far from the first cinematic adaptation of a TV series, but in this age of reboot upon reboot, it's notable that this one has migrated to the silver screen intact – it's a movie "sequel" featuring the same actors and characters as the original TV show.

Here's a short history of the many other TV shows that have continued their stories in the form of theatrical films.

Dragnet...

Before Borat, Bruno and The Dictator, Sacha Baron Cohen was Ali G.

A shard of light in Channel 4's otherwise forgettable 11 'O Clock Show (who's heard of that "Ricky Gervais" character since?), Cohen's comic creation would simply lampoon the great and good.

Often, Cohen's victim's appeared to bend over backward in a bid to show some non-existent "yoof" credentials.

Honesty being his defining virtue, Tony Benn, who died this morning at the age of 88, refused to play that game - a rare man pushing back against the ridiculous views being spouted opposite him.

"You're not living in the real world, my friend," Benn spluttered indignantly.

"You're living in a world where just everybody is just so bloody greedy that there's no hope of building a better society, and that's why we're in a mess."

While David Cameron desperately tries to show his laddy football credentials by telling non-Jewish football...

Over the years, there have been plenty of movies that have been adapted from television programmes. Of course, there are really famous Us TV shows that come to mind – The A-Team, Star Trek, Charlie’s Angels and so on. In the UK, you might be forgiven for thinking that the same does not happen or, at least, not on the same scale. Nevertheless, even some cult British TV has even made for a successful crossover into the mainstream film going public’s consciousness. Da Ali G Show, a Channel 4 television comedy vehicle for Sacha Baron Cohen, led to the big screen version Ali G Indahouse, for example, launching his Hollywood career. The BBC show Doctor Who spawned no less than nine film spin-offs, albeit of varying quality. Another recent example would be Horrid Henry, a kids’ cartoon imbued with British culture, which made it to the silver screen in an adaptation starring Angelica Huston.

The actor is about to appear in the return of BBC1's Sherlock and Peter Jackson's blockbuster sequel The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

There was a scene in The Office in which Tim Canterbury, the benign sales rep played by Martin Freeman, compared his life to a roll of the dice.

"My situation now may only be a three. If I jack that in, go for something bigger and better, I could easily roll a six," he told the programme's faux documentary maker. "I could also roll a one. Ok? So I think … just leave the dice alone."

Freeman, who will star alongside Benedict Cumberbatch in the eagerly awaited return on New Year's Day of BBC1's Sherlock, and as Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson's blockbuster sequel The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug next week, has just rolled a double six.

It has been an extraordinary rise for the 42-year-old actor,...

Provocative promotional posters for Lars von Trier's Nymphomaniac were released last week and feature the film's cast in post-coital poses.

The controversial film is set to feature "groundbreaking" unsimulated sex scenes, with producer Louise Vesth revealing: "We shot the actors pretending to have sex and then had the body doubles, who really did have sex, and in post we will digital-impose the two.

"So above the waist it will be the star and below the waist it will be the doubles."

We cast our eye back over 17 other controversial movie posters - some of which were banned - from Sacha Baron Cohen's Ali G Indahouse to Steve McQueen's Shame (Warning - contains adult content):...

You want funny? We got funny! From Airplane to Duck Soup, here are the Guardian and Observer critics' pick of the 10 best rib-ticklers

• Top 10 romantic movies

• Top 10 action movies

Peter Bradshaw on comedy

Notionally, one of the most loved of genres, comedy persistently finds that it is somehow ineligible for greatness. Comedies rarely get Oscars. Charlie Chaplin, the great comic, was one of cinema's first international superstars. Keaton, the Marx Brothers and Laurel and Hardy produced sublime gems of film-making, arguably cherished more now than at the time. Billy Wilder's Some Like It Hot is one of the most loved films of all time, with a miraculously light touch and a glorious romantic chemistry between Curtis, Lemmon and Monroe. In Hollywood, the screwball tradition came to be supplanted in public taste by Woody Allen, whose DNA can be traced through the cerebral creations of Charlie Kaufman.

Recently, Hollywood comedy...

The actor is about to start "a new chapter" in his career – as Mick Carter, landlord of the Queen Vic

Age: 36.

Appearance: A proper nostril.

A what? Nostril and tweezer: geezer.

Ah. Is this because Dyer, besides being one of Harold Pinter's favourite actors, is also a prominent user of cockney rhyming slang? You could say Panama.

I could say what? Panama hat: that.

Are you going to keep doing this? Cot.

Oh for the love of ... Cot and baby: maybe.

Look, can we just get to the point? We can. Dyer is going to be the new landlord of the Queen Vic in EastEnders.

Oh gawd. He'll play Mick Carter, who will arrive at Christmas with his wife Linda, to be played by Kellie Bright. You might remember her as Me Julie in Ali G Indahouse or Kate Aldridge, daughter of that cad Brian in the Archers.

Two unforgettable roles.

Actor to play 'bloke's bloke' who is also a big softie as part of overhaul of soap's cast

TV tough guy Danny Dyer is to become the new landlord of the Queen Vic as he joins the cast of EastEnders this Christmas.

The actor – who had previously had talks to become a Walford regular – will take over the running of the pub before the end of the year.

Dyer is known for playing a hooligan in Football Factory and a TV documentary series in which he celebrated violent characters, but he will be breaking up the fights when he takes on the role of Mick Carter.

He will be joined in the Vic by Kellie Bright – who has appeared in Ali G In Da House and the Only Fools And Horses spin-off Rock And Chips – who is to play his wife Linda.

Mick is the brother of Shirley Carter (Linda Henry) and Tina,...

Comfortably broadcasting at North Norfolk Digital alongside Sidekick Simon (Tim Key), former chatshow host, Bond enthusiast and Bouncing Back author Alan Partridge is one of the leading lights of North Norfolk Digital. But when media conglomerate Glendale Media (their emptiness exemplified by meaningless motto ‘The way you want it to be’), takes over the station and instigates a revamp, Alan’s job is in jeopardy. Driving gloves in tow, the hero of the ‘Wales of the East’ convinces the new board that dinosaur DJ Pat Farrell (an excellent Colm Meaney) is the best culprit for redundancy, with a succinct argument – ‘Just Sack Pat’, scrawled in red marker pen on a flip chart.

Later, Pat reacts violently and besieges the radio station, demanding that Alan’s appointed as chief hostage negotiator. It’s time for Norfolk’s favourite son to forget about his Nandos Efficiency System, Roachford sing-alongs and radio discussions...

Yes, I used boobies to bring you here. Writer/Director Dan Mazer has made a name for himself with the Sacha Baron Cohen comedies Bruno, Borat, and Ali G In Da House, and is now moving on to his own features, starting with the British romcom I Give It A Year. The straightforward pic follows the "trials and tribulations of a newlywed couple during their first year of marriage," but with some edgier, psuedo-raunchy humor. The film is packed with a great cast, many of which...

CBS's Backstrom has cast Rainn Wilson in the title role of Backstrom, based on the Swedish book series by Leif G.W. Persson. He joins Dennis Haysbert. The story tells of an offensive, overweight detective called Everett Backstrom who tries and and fails to change his self-destructive ways. In the series, Haysbert plays s Detective John Almond, one of the detectives who works with Backstrom who thinks that Backstrom's hunches are just luck. The pilot's being directed by Mark Mylod (Ali G Indahouse, Entourage and Shameless). Hanson scripts and serves as executive-producer on Backstrom with Niclas Salomonsson.

CBS's Backstrom has cast Rainn Wilson in the title role of Backstrom, based on the Swedish book series by Leif G.W. Persson. He joins Dennis Haysbert. The story tells of an offensive, overweight detective called Everett Backstrom who tries and and fails to change his self-destructive ways. In the series, Haysbert plays s Detective John Almond, one of the detectives who works with Backstrom who thinks that Backstrom's hunches are just luck. The pilot's being directed by Mark Mylod (Ali G Indahouse, Entourage and Shameless). Hanson scripts and serves as executive-producer on Backstrom with Niclas Salomonsson.

CBS's Backstrom crime drama pilot from Bones creator Hart Hanson has added The Unit's Dennis Haysbert, reports The Hollywood Reporter. Based on the Swedish book series by Leif G.W. Persson, the story follows an offensive and overweight detective called Everett Backstrom who attempts, and fails, to change his self-destructive ways. Haysbert is in as Detective John Almond, one of the detectives who works with Backstrom, a religious, kind character who's been married for three decades, with a completely opposite character to Backstrom. Almond thinks that Backstrom's hunches are just luck. Mark Mylod, known for Ali G Indahouse, Entourage and Shameless, directs the pilot. Hanson scripts and serves as executive-producer on Backstrom, alongside Niclas Salomonsson.

CBS's Backstrom crime drama pilot from Bones creator Hart Hanson has added The Unit's Dennis Haysbert, reports The Hollywood Reporter. Based on the Swedish book series by Leif G.W. Persson, the story follows an offensive and overweight detective called Everett Backstrom who attempts, and fails, to change his self-destructive ways. Haysbert is in as Detective John Almond, one of the detectives who works with Backstrom, a religious, kind character who's been married for three decades, with a completely opposite character to Backstrom. Almond thinks that Backstrom's hunches are just luck. Mark Mylod, known for Ali G Indahouse, Entourage and Shameless, directs the pilot. Hanson scripts and serves as executive-producer on Backstrom, alongside Niclas Salomonsson.

 

Safe to say 2002 was not a year Americans were familiar with Mr. Bilbo Baggins, Martin Freeman, unless of course they were huge fans of Ricky Gervais' The Office. I remember watching Ali G Indahouse and being really disappointed that it wasn't as good as Da Ali G Show but after seeing this I think I'll give it another shot.

 ...

Review Louisa Mellor Feb 8, 2013

From the writer of Borat comes a UK rom-com starring Rafe Spall and Rose Byrne that's much funnier than it is romantic...

When it’s not making you laugh, Dan Mazer’s I Give It a Year isn’t doing much else. By design, the central relationship’s not one to root for, and the film’s love quadrilateral barely leaves an impression once you’ve left the cinema. It’s good news for Mazer’s film then, that it’s very funny.

Since Hugh Grant quoted David Cassidy at a bemused Andi MacDowell in 1994, UK wedding comedies have become an institution to rival marriage itself. Aptly, in a week that’s seen marriage conventions on their way to a long-overdue update, along comes a film to shake up the rom-com in turn.

Instead of watching Josh (Rafe Spall) and Nat (Rose Byrne) follow a twisty,...

I Give It A Year is a new comedy from the producers of Love Actually, Bridget Jones’s Diary and Notting Hill. Which is a good thing. Obviously. Highly successful and entertaining British comedies. It’s directed by Ben Mazer, a man who has written quite alot of stuff for Da Ali G Show, wrote Borat, wrote Bruno, Ali G Indahouse, so mostly pretty good. No pressure then! Thankfully I Give It A Year is rather damn good! Starring Rafe Spall, Minnie Driver, Simon Baker, Anna Farris and Rose Byrne, Dan Mazer’s script tells the story of a couple who got married after only a few months and subsequently things start unravelling all before they even get to their first anniversary, as they realise they may not exactly be right for each other. With an ex and a handsome “yank” (Baker) on the scene for husband and wife the...

Swapping endlessly through his gallery of eccentrics and comedic personalities, actor Sacha Baron Cohen has nonetheless been nudged toward a conventional film career, as his exploitative, shock-based humor lacks the anonymity needed for the roles to thrive. However, before that transition is made final, Cohen was given an award for his contributions to comedy, and in doing so he brought back the character that gave him his start. Yesterday night in London, Sir Ben Kingsley presented Cohen with the British Comedy Academy Outstanding Achievement Award, and receiving the prize instead was Ali G, decked out in goggles and gold track jacket. With a brief reminder of the ten plus years since the character's first appearance in 1996 (and thankfully little on “Ali G Indahouse”), he then went on to deliver a string of jokes on Jimmy Savile, the iPhone, and Kate Middleton. It's all quite a fun view, and since Cohen...

Having previously transposed Ali G into fictionalized form with Ali G Indahouse, and basically done so with Borat's blithely ignorant foreigner shtick on The Dictator, Sacha Baron Cohen is now doing the same for the homosexuality hijinks of Bruno with his new scripted comedy The Lesbian. Paramount is currently developing the film about a man who offers a $65 million reward to any man who can marry and thus convert his lesbian daughter, a premise based on the real-life story of Dick Cheney Hong Kong billionaire Cecil Chao. It's being pitched as a potential starring vehicle for Cohen ...

Ah, summer 2012, it was a simple, carefree time when America was treated to a light-hearted comedy called "The Dictator," starring Sacha Baron Cohen. In the film, Cohen stars as Admiral General Aladeen, a ruthless leader from the made-up nation of Wadiya, who lives an opulent life... when he's not busy terrorizing his citizens. But when he is betrayed by his own men and thrown out of power, he needs to start over in New York City. However, now Wadiya is trying to bring Aladeen's riches back to the people, by celebrating the release of "The Dictator" on DVD and Blu-ray -- and giving you the chance to win big prizes. In order to win, you must submit a comment to this post, telling us what you think is the funniest line from all of Sacha Baron Cohen's movies (it can be from "Borat," "Bruno" or even "Ali G Indahouse...

It would be entirely plausible for viewers to head into The Dictator anticipating a grand-scale, trend setting, satirical laugh-fest. All of the intangibles were in place: Sacha Baron Cohen, more fondly known to the world simply as Borat, stars; he has a new foreign accent; a new character; and, well, a new New York (he lends his theatrics to the borough of Brooklyn this time). What was successful in Borat and Brüno, the atypical intelligent divulgements into society by way of a witty hilarious scheme, feels forced and tired here. Yes, it’s just a tad unfair to juxtapose The Dictator with Baron Cohen’s already successful predecessors’, but this is Sacha Baron Cohen’s shtick: perfecting intricate characters and projectile vomiting them into drastically different abodes, creating pure comedic chaos (Ali G Indahouse, Borat,Brüno).

Read more...

A British town made famous by Sacha Baron Cohen's comedy creation Ali G has been renamed.

Staines in Surrey, England was famously lampooned by the British comic as the hometown of his rapper character in popular TV series Da Ali G Show and 2002 movie Ali G Indahouse.

However, officials in the area have now voted to change the town's name to Staines-upon-Thames in a bid to distance themselves from the Ali G link.

Local councillor Colin Davis tells Britain's Independent, "There is no doubt that the name Staines lends itself readily to humour. We are actually a green and leafy town, with lots of old buildings and a beautiful Thames (river) frontage. Then Ali G came along and there was a lot of negativity."...

Town officially changes name to Staines-upon-Thames, but not all residents are convinced

After suffering years of ridicule since Sacha Baron Cohen decided to make it the home of his creation Ali G, Staines has officially changed its name in an attempt to distance itself from the joke, to the more upmarket Staines-upon-Thames.

The long-debated revamp of the Surrey town prompted a day of celebrations on Sunday – from maypole dancing to a regatta – as the town set out to prove it was more glamorous than its M25 commuter-belt image, association with Ali G or its "ghost town" depiction by indie band Hard-Fi might suggest.

Spelthorne borough council, which pushed through the change after it was first suggested by a business forum, hopes it will bring more business to the town.

Colin Davis, one of its councillors, told the BBC: "Ali G may have had a role, but I think it goes back further than that.

Anyone who's seen both Borat ... and Ali G Indahouse will assume that Sacha Baron Cohen is a lot more entertaining when he's bouncing off unsuspecting members of the public than he is when he's working from a proper screenplay. But anyone who's seen The Dictator will revise that assumption, pronto. Tightly scripted by Baron Cohen and three alumni of Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm, it may well be his best film, as well as the year's best comedy.

As expected, despite a whole host of lukewarm reviews, Dark Shadows has done pretty well at the Box Office in its first week. It only went in at number 3 however, behind both The Avengers and American pie: The Reunion, which will perhaps be a little disappointing for the studio who may have hoped for a bit more of a smash hit.

This week’s big release is Sacha Baron Cohen’s latest outing The Dictator which thanks in part to some surprisingly warm reviews from critics after preview screenings, should do some pretty big business over the weekend. Cohen’s hit pay-dirt before with the likes of Borat, and even the slightly lacklustre Bruno cleaned up at the Box Office. With The Dictator however, expectation seems to have been fairly low until now, the combined result perhaps of Bruno’s poor reception and a slightly misleading marketing campaign which...

Sacha Baron Cohen's Borat deserves to be bracketed with Chaplin's masterpiece; The Dictator doesn't

On the face of it, Sacha Baron Cohen might seem to be hoeing the same row this time round but by other means. Once more, a funny foreigner with unpalatable attitudes is let loose on the Land of the Free. Like Borat and Brüno before him, Aladeen parades bigotry to risque but comic effect. You might have thought that the shift from real-world interactivity to intensively scripted narrative would simply have added a bit of precision and gloss to the same underlying routine. Not so. The Dictator is a completely different proposition from its star's last two big-screen vehicles.

Weird though they may have been, Aladeen's two predecessors each evinced a disturbing trace of plausibility. The Admiral-General, on the other hand, is a stuffed dummy. His combination of brutish innocence and inner loneliness belongs...

This past week saw Hollywood types descend on Las Vegas, not for a "The Hangover" reboot, but for the annual CinemaCon trade show, which sees all the studios showing off their upcoming wares for exhibitors and members of the press. And this year was a big one, with footage from "The Dark Knight Rises," "The Hobbit," "Les Miserables," "Prometheus," "The Great Gatsby" and many, many more among the headliners.

Indeed, there was so much going on that plenty of information may have slipped through the cracks. As Vegas empties out again, we've rounded up ten key revelations from CinemaCon that you might have missed over the past week, from a release date for the sequel to one of last summer's biggest hits, to Pixar movies you won't see until 2015. Check them out below.

1. The Sequel To "Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes" Aiming For A Summer 2014 Release

Despite low expectations,...

Paramount just released this epic new movie poster for the upcoming comedy “The Dictator” by director Larry Charles (Borat, Bruno, Seinfeld) and starring Anna Faris (The Skeleton Twins, Scary Movie 4, Ghostbuster III), Sacha Baron Cohen (Ali G Indahouse, Sweeney Todd, THe Simpsons), Ben Kingsley (Schindler’s List, Shutter Island), Jason Mantzoukas (Enlightened, Parks and Recreation, Traffic Light), Anthony Mangano (General Hospital, Point Break, 8 Heads in a Duffel Bag). Synopsis: The heroic story of a dictator who risks his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed. Follow @Shockya on Twitter for the latest from “The Dictator”.

A new poster for Sacha Baron Cohen's The Dictator arrives today, featuring the main character, General Aladeen, with his eyes on the prize of America.  Have a look: The Dictator is directed by long-time collaborator Larry Charles (Seinfeld) and co-stars Anna Faris, John C. Reilly, Ben Kingsley, and Megan Fox.  It's also the first scripted film Cohen has done as the headliner since Ali G In Da House movie.  He's had supporting roles in Sweeney Todd and Hugo, but...

Sacha Baron Cohen is not someone you would describe as uncontroversial. Now, his over-the-top antics may have gotten him banned from the 84th Annual Academy Awards. He’s been a British hip-hop artist (Ali G Indahouse), a Kazakhstani immigrant (Borat) and a flamboyant Austrian fashionista (Bruno), each one more polarizing than the last. Apparently his new character from The Dictator, General Aladeen, is not welcome at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' annual awards show. Hit the jump to find out what got The Dictator banned and to see why this might all just boil down to a publicity stunt one way or another. Deadline reported on the MPAA’s withholding of Cohen’s tickets to this year’s Academy Awards. Cohen, who is known for doing live stunts in character to drum up interest in his movies, had petitioned the Academy to allow him to strut the red carpet as The Dictator.

Adam Deacon talks about his Bafta for rising star and his desire to be a voice for modern youth

Adam Deacon has had an incredible week. Last Sunday he became the surprise winner at the Baftas when, against the odds, he took home the Orange Wednesdays Rising Star award. You get the impression life has been a non-stop party ever since.

He arrives for his interview an hour behind schedule, four days after his victory, but still carrying the Bafta in a carrier bag. He looks exhausted but on a high, so he gets the trophy out and we all take a moment to coo at it. He will pose for photographs only if the Bafta is in the shot, which seems terribly precious. But he says: "I'll be straight up with you. I was the outsider for this, bottom of the list. So this is huge for me."

The category,...

Paramount sent us the official Super Bowl TV spot for the upcoming comedy “The Dictator” by director Larry Charles (Borat, Bruno, Seinfeld) and starring Anna Faris (The Skeleton Twins, Scary Movie 4, Ghostbuster III), Sacha Baron Cohen (Ali G Indahouse, Sweeney Todd, THe Simpsons), Ben Kingsley (Schindler’s List, Shutter Island), Jason Mantzoukas (Enlightened, Parks and Recreation, Traffic Light), Anthony Mangano (General Hospital, Point Break, 8 Heads in a Duffel Bag). Synopsis: The heroic story of a dictator who risks his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed. Follow @Shockya on Twitter for the latest from “The Dictator”.

Paramount realeased this brand new movie trailer for the upcoming comedy “The Dictator” by director Larry Charles (Borat, Bruno, Seinfeld) and starring Anna Faris (The Skeleton Twins, Scary Movie 4, Ghostbuster III), Sacha Baron Cohen (Ali G Indahouse, Sweeney Todd, THe Simpsons), Ben Kingsley (Schindler’s List, Shutter Island), Jason Mantzoukas (Enlightened, Parks and Recreation, Traffic Light), Anthony Mangano (General Hospital, Point Break, 8 Heads in a Duffel Bag). Synopsis: The heroic story of a dictator who risks his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed. Follow @Shockya on Twitter for the latest from “The Dictator”. Source: Dailyblam.com...

Paramount just released this hilarious new poster featuring Sacha Baron Cohen in the upcoming comedy “The Dictator” by director Larry Charles (Borat, Bruno, Seinfeld) and starring Anna Faris (The Skeleton Twins, Scary Movie 4, Ghostbuster III), Sacha Baron Cohen (Ali G Indahouse, Sweeney Todd, THe Simpsons), Ben Kingsley (Schindler’s List, Shutter Island), Jason Mantzoukas (Enlightened, Parks and Recreation, Traffic Light), Anthony Mangano (General Hospital, Point Break, 8 Heads in a Duffel Bag). Synopsis: The heroic story of a dictator who risks his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed. Follow @Shockya on Twitter for the latest from “The Dictator”.

In the early 2000s, Sacha Baron Cohen created three characters for his essential comedy series, Da Ali G Show: a wannabe gangster named Ali G, an accidentally inappropriate Kazakh named Borat, and a magnificently gay Austrian named Brüno. All three of them became quote mines for a generation of inappro-comedy fans. And they all got to star in their own film, which ranged from horrible (Ali G Indahouse) to masterful (Borat) to not-as-good-as-Borat (Brüno.)

Lately, Cohen has been gilding his resume with memorable parts in auteurist films (Hugo, next year’s Django Unchained), but he’s also been...

Having exhausted his former television characters with big screen adapatations -- "Ali G Indahouse," "Borat" and "Bruno" -- "The Dictator" finds Sacha Baron Cohen bringing a brand new persona to life. Presumably with the freedom to take his imagination wherever it pleases, which is perhaps why the first trailer for this movie feels so disappointing. In his latest venture, Cohen plays a foreign dictator who comes to America, which is a great premise, but unfortunately it seems a lot of the culturally savvy wit of his previous efforts seems to have been lost. A Kardashian joke? Really? In fact, much of this seems uninspired, with Cohen wringing most of laughs by speaking an unintelligible, Middle Eastern-sounding language. Ha ha. Megan Fox is wasted playing a whorish version of herself, who sleeps with the dictator in exchange for a handful of riches. Meh. Granted, we're only seeing half the story here...

In gently humorous British news, a southern English town called Staines is reportedly changing its name to Staines-on-Thames to distance itself from any memory of Ali-g. The chavviest and first of Sasha Baron Cohen's alter-egos, Ali-g was once a beloved fictional son of Staines (Cohen himself grew up in London). Indeed, in 2002, enough Ali-g fans trekked out to Staines to check out a KFC featured in "Ali G Indahouse," that local councilmen declared the dawn of a new Ali G-focused "tourism strategy," incorporating said KFC and another "haunt of their famous son," the Crooked Billet Roundabout.

But a new tourism strategy always comes before a fall. Behold a councilman's changed tune a decade on:

"The ancient and honourable name of Staines has been sullied by negligent reporting by the media on one hand and perhaps irresponsible humour on the part of others such as Ali G."

Note the careful use of "sullied,...

Tony Way (Finding Neverland​) will play Ser Dontos Hollard in Season 2 of Game of Thrones. Winter-is-coming reports: Dontos Hollard is a bumbling knight that befriends Sansa Stark, who remains at court in King’s Landing. Tony Way is an English actor, comedian, and writer, who is best known for playing various characters, in the hit BBC sketch comedy TV series Tittybangbang and playing the character Dave in the movie, Ali G Indahouse. If you follow the books then you know Tony Way could be offending our male sensibilities with some full frontal nudity at a certain knight tourney. Hopefully that's not the case but who can forget that eye-cringing moment from Season 1. Season 2 - Terror Tease Game of Thrones is an American medieval fantasy television series created for HBO by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss. Based on author George R. R. Martin's best-selling A Song of Ice and...

A woman revisits her past 20 boyfriends to see if she's lost Mr. Right

With Bridesmaids still going down a treat with women as well as men, the rom-com has had to grow up a little in terms of adult content and actual laugh quotient. Ali G Indahouse director Mark Mylod tackles a perennially hot topic with this new offering, investigating the importance girls (and guys) attach to how many people they've slept with. He's got considerable talent at his fingertips, with lovable Anna Faris and the...