Sacha Baron Cohen is bringing Ali G back after 20 years, and the new trailer for Ali G: Who Iz I? makes the red-headed Brit singer a punchline in a line you have to hear. The joke is aimed at Ed Sheeran, and the “Restecpa” reply he fired back on Instagram is already winning the internet.
What the new trailer actually shows
The first full trailer for the film dropped online this week, and it opens with Cohen’s rudeboy narrator declaring: “there was COVID, wars, and Ed Sheeran” before cutting to a clip of the Shape of You singer on a red carpet. New dreadlocks on, the Staines character is back to deal with the issues of the day, plus the pregnancy of his long-term girlfriend Julie.
Trailer glimpses also show pranks played on retired US army general Stewart Rodeheaver and someone who may be the Canadian DJ Deadmau5 at a music festival. Cohen reportedly filmed the movie entirely in secret, even turning up in character at this year’s Wimbledon tennis championships ahead of the official announcement.
Ed Sheeran’s “Restecpa” reply
Far from being offended by the name drop, Sheeran was delighted. In a comment on Instagram he wrote: “Tell 10-year-old me that Ali G would put him in his movie. Restecpa.” The closing word is a wink back to the 2002 film Ali G: In Da House, where the character famously misspells “respect”.
It is a light, good-natured moment from a star with a huge Filipino following, and the exchange has become the funniest talking point of the trailer rollout. For fans who track everything the singer does, this is a welcome addition to our Ed Sheeran coverage on the site.
Ali G through the years
Ali G first appeared on the UK comedy programme The 11 O’Clock Show in 1998, then headlined three series of Da Ali G Show in the early 00s, where he interviewed unsuspecting politicians, academics and celebrities. He asked Buzz Aldrin if man will ever walk on the sun, and pitched “ice-cream gloves” to Donald Trump. That show also introduced Cohen’s other signature characters, Borat and Bruno.
The film marks Cohen’s directorial debut, arriving 24 years after the character’s first big-screen outing. Here is the Ali G film lineup so far:
| Film | Year | Notable |
|---|---|---|
| Ali G Indahouse | 2002 | Earned over GBP 17m at the UK box office |
| Ali G: Who Iz I? | 2026 | Cohen’s directorial debut, out October 23 |
Cohen had said he retired Ali G and Borat in 2007, but Borat returned in a 2020 sequel that made more than $260m globally. Who Iz I? becomes the fifth film featuring characters from Da Ali G Show.
When and where
Ali G: Who Iz I? is scheduled for release in cinemas on October 23. Whether the prank-playing rudeboy’s return lands in Philippine theaters remains to be seen, but local comedy and Cohen fans are already buzzing over the trailer. It is a nostalgic comeback with a very 2026 sense of humor, and for Ed Sheeran devotees, it is one of the friendlier name drops the singer has ever received.
