FX inks Sacha Baron Cohen deal for new Ali G series

FX Productions has inked a first-look deal with Sacha Baron Cohen’s production company Four By Two. The deal gives the recently-minted FXX channel old episodes of Baron Cohen’s Da Ali G Show and will see him reprise the comedy character in a new series Ali G: Rezurection.

The new series will go out on the US FXX cable channel early next year. FXX also gets episodes of Da Ali G Show and The Best of Ali G that have never aired in the US as part of the deal.

Nick Grad, President of Original Programming, FX Networks and FX Productions said: “[Baron Cohen] is an amazing talent and we look forward to him developing new series for FXP. We’re also excited to introduce Da Ali G Show and Sacha’s characters to a new audience on FXX, and we can’t wait to see how he will incorporate new, original content in the episodes.”

A character created by Baron Cohen, Ali G originated on Channel 4 satirical series The 11 O’clock Show in 2003 and was spun off into Da Ali G Show. Baron Cohen produced 18 episodes, with 12 of those episodes airing on HBO in the US. FXX will also get all of the Ali G segments and vignettes from The 11 O’clock Show

FXP has inked a raft of first look and production deals in place. It has agreements with producers including RCG Productions (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Floyd County Productions (Archer), Color Force (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The Hunger Games). It also has a first-look cable deal with Paul Giamatti’s prodco Touchy Feely Films.