Sacha Baron Cohen’s infamous Ali G is bringing West Staines to Fortnite.
Amazon MGM Studios and the user-generated content company Chartis are dropping the beloved Sacha Baron Cohen character into Drive City, a Fortnite Creative island, a week before his new film hits theaters. The integration runs from Friday, October 16, through October 30 and is going public just days ahead of “Ali G: Who Iz I?” opening in theaters October 23, according to the announcement.
Ali G’s character will appear in the game as a custom non-player character with original dialogue recorded by Sacha Baron Cohen. The Drive City map also features West Staines (his suburban hometown), the character’s signature campy style and his iconic speaker van, according to the press release from Chartis.
The integration kicks off with a live event where players get to celebrate Ali G’s arrival until locals interrupt the festivities. Ali G then runs to take cover inside his Nan’s house while players work together to clear the area. Ali G then emerges from his shelter and runs back into the crowd to take the credit. The event sets up the neighborhood of West Staines and his next ambition, which is to become even more famous than before.
From there, players join Ali G’s marketing campaign in his ploy for stardom. They put up posters, place character cutouts, and drive his branded speaker van around the city to spread the word. Each completed task builds his fame, with custom signs, graffiti and familiar soundbites integrating his loud persona into every aspect of the Drive City environment.
Players progress at their own pace toward a finale that replaces Drive City’s landmark sign with Ali G’s name. Finishing it unlocks his signature yellow car, which players can then drive around the city in celebration.
The film is Ali G’s first big-screen appearance since 2002’s “Ali G Indahouse,” according to the Chartis press release. The release noted that the character’s return was teased earlier this year, when it was revealed that a new film starring him had secretly wrapped production. The new movie, like other Ali G films, is entirely directed by Baron Cohen, while also starring him.
Chartis describes itself as a company that invests in breakout user-generated content games and operates a creator network connecting brands with Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences. The company says it has more than 100 billion monthly in-game impressions and more than 250 creators in its network.
The Ali G integration follows another Chartis film tie-in in Fortnite. DC Studios’ new film “Clayface” launched on October 13 in Fortnite Creative, with actor Tom Rhys Harries appearing as Matt Hagen in the form of an interactive non-player character, ahead of that film’s October 23 theatrical release. That activation runs up until October 27. A publicist working with Chartis described the activations as part of a larger trend of Fortnite giving fans a taste of movies before they officially open on the big screen.
The Ali G experience is available in Drive City from October 16 through October 30. Players can find it with island code 6246-3089-1172.
“Ali G: Who Iz I?” opens in theaters October 23.