Sacha Baron Cohen might be reviving Ali G on film for the first time in more than two decades, but not everyone is so thrilled to see him return as a major UK cinema chain has said that it has “no plans” to show the film.

First played by Baron Cohen, 54, in 1998, Ali G is a white man from Staines who attempts to emulate Black-British mannerisms in the way he dresses and speaks. He was the subject of his own Channel 4 series and 2002 film Ali G Indahouse, and has been retired on and off since 2007.

Ali G will be back on the big screen once again this autumn in mockumentary Ali G: Who Iz I?, with a new trailer dropping this week.

But fans hoping to see the film at Picturehouse Cinemas will be disappointed, as the UK chain – which has operates 25 cinemas in the UK, 11 of which are in London – has said that it is unlikely to be showing the film.

A representative told Metro: “We currently do not have any plans to screen this film on its release.”

The Standard has contacted Baron Cohen’s representatives and Amazon MGM Studios for comment.

While many fans were delighted to see Ali G return, the trailer also earned criticism from people who deemed the character “outdated”.

A campaign swiftly arose calling on the major UK cinemas to refuse to screen the film, claiming that it was “enforcing racist stereotypes” under the guise of satire.

This criticism has been made of Ali G since Baron Cohen first created the character for Channel 4’s The 11 O’Clock Show.

Back in 2000, a group of the UK’s most successful Black comedians accused Baron Cohen of offensive racist behaviour, with The Real McCoy’s Felix Dexter saying: “I feel that a lot of the humour is laughing at black street culture and it is being celebrated because it allows the liberal middle classes to laugh at that culture in a safe context where they can retain their sense of political correctness.”

When it comes to Who Iz I?, which is released in cinemas on 23 October, Baron Cohen pre-empted the backlash, writing on X as the trailer was released: “In an age where a comedian’s career can be ended by a single un-PC (politically correct) joke, I thought I’d play it safe and bring this guy back.”