The Popinjay Cavalier will mark the filmmaker’s theatrical debut and Baron Cohen’s first major professional stage role.
Quentin Tarantino is heading to London’s West End, and he has found a suitably bold leading man. Sacha Baron Cohen has been confirmed to star in The Popinjay Cavalier, the filmmaker’s first-ever stage play, which is scheduled to open in spring 2027. Baron Cohen is set to play the title character, although the theatre and exact dates have yet to be announced.
The production is written and directed by Tarantino and is being developed by Sonia Friedman Productions and Sony Pictures Entertainment. Set in Europe during the 1830s, The Popinjay Cavalier has been described as a “rambunctious comedy of deception and disguise” inspired by the great swashbuckling epics of stage and screen.
For Baron Cohen, the production marks a significant change of direction. The London-born comedian became famous as Ali G on The 11 O’Clock Show before creating Da Ali G Show and introducing audiences to characters including Borat and Brüno. He subsequently became a major film star, writing and starring in Borat, Brüno, The Dictator and Borat Subsequent Moviefilm. His acting career has included Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Hugo and Les Misérables, while his performance as activist Abbie Hoffman in The Trial of the Chicago 7 earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
The Popinjay Cavalier is set to be Baron Cohen’s first major professional stage role. However, there is also an intriguing Tarantino connection. Baron Cohen was once lined up for a small role in Django Unchained but ultimately chose to appear in Les Misérables instead.
His West End casting comes as another of Baron Cohen’s most famous creations makes a far more controversial comeback. Ali G will return to the big screen in Ali G: Who Iz I?, a mockumentary scheduled for release on 23 October 2026. The revival has already prompted criticism in the UK. Following the release of the trailer, campaigners accused Ali G of relying on outdated racial stereotypes, cultural appropriation and caricatures of Black British and Jamaican culture. News comparison platform NewsCord launched a campaign urging cinemas not to screen the film, while social media debate has questioned whether a character conceived in late-1990s Britain still works in 2026.
As for Tarantino, The Popinjay Cavalier represents a significant departure from filmmaking. The director behind Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood has previously spoken about his fascination with live comedy, where audience reaction becomes part of the performance.
Tarantino previously explained: “In a comedy play, the audience is a character in the room. When that works, that’s an evening out, which is hard to capture on film.”
The filmmaker has also indicated that the project will require a substantial commitment, with plans to relocate to England with his family while developing and staging the production.
Contact: @sachabaroncohen