Famed British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen isn’t letting the fact that his “The Dictator” (due out on Blu-Ray August 21) didn’t turn as much of a profit as prior efforts “Borat” and “Brüno” did. He is moving forward on a James Bond spoof that he will write with Phil Johnston (“Cedar Rapids”) for Paramount Pictures.
The twist: Cohen may not star in this one. The Hollywood Reporter writes that whether he takes a role in the film–the lead or otherwise–will depend on “availability and scheduling.”
Further from THR: The Bond-like protagonist will be “forced to go on the run with his long-lost brother, a moronic soccer hooligan.” Sounds very British, to say the least.
Bond has already been parodied in a couple franchises by fellow Europeans: Rowan Atkinson’s “Johnny English” and Jean ‘The Artist’ Dujardin’s “OSS 117” (which you should all stream on Netflix, if you haven’t yet partaken in its brilliance).
If Cohen ultimately doesn’t offer his personal touch playing the lead, then who do you think would be a good choice? Leave us a comment if you’ve got a bright idea.