Although Sacha Baron Cohen’s Bruno didn’t set the world on fire in the way that Borat did, that hasn’t stopped him trying to increase his influence in Hollywood by setting up his own production company, Four By Two Films, and signing movie deals all over the place.
Variety reports that Cohen has just sold a mystery film to Columbia, who beat off two other studios with their multi-million dollar bid for the movie. It sounds like the film is going to be another Bruno-esque, undercover effort, as while there’s absolutely no news on what the film will be about, it’s being written by Cohen, Ant Hines, Peter Baynham and Dan Mazer, who were the writing team behind both Bruno and Borat.
The new production company has also signed a deal with Universal for Accidentes, written by Peter Baynham, which will see Baron Cohen playing an ambulance-chasing lawyer of Latin descent, who accidentally becomes a hero after helping an immigrant win a judgement against his wealthy employer. As the Latino community is about the only group of people Cohen hasn’t managed to offend yet, this looks like his opportunity to redress the balance.
Accidentes was originally going to be made by Fox Atomic, but 20th Century Fox decided to let the option lapse after they shut down Atomic last year, allowing Universal to swoop in.
As yet Cohen hasn’t decided which of these films will be the next one he makes, although it appears he’s leaning towards the mystery one he sold to Columbia. All these moves definitely seem like Cohen is trying to ensure he isn’t seen as a one-trick pony, and that he’ll be able to achieve lasting success as an actor, writer and producer in Hollywood. Whether he will be able to prove that or not, is yet to be seen.