Sacha Baron Cohen takes on Saddam Hussein in 'The Dictator'
Director Larry Charles will reunite with his 'Borat,' 'Bruno' star
Sacha Baron Cohen
Credit: AP
Not-so-subtly channeling Charlie Chaplin, Sacha Baron Cohen's film will be a comedy based on a semi-autobiographical novel by the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
Paramount Pictures announced on Thursday (Jan. 20) that "Seinfeld" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" veterans Alec Berg, Jeff Schaffer and David Mandel will join Baron Cohen in adapting Hussein's "Zabibah and The King," which apparently was a bestseller. "Borat" and "Bruno" director Larry Charles will helm the project.
A release date of May 11, 2012 has been set for the project, which will be retitled "The Dictator," in a likely homage to Chaplin's 1940 Hitler parody "The Great Dictator."
According to Paramount, "The Dictator" tells the story of "a dictator who risked his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed."
Scott Rudin will produce, marking his first collaboration with Baron Cohen.
Veiled versions of Hussein's life are becoming hot cinematic property. "The Devil's Double," featuring Dominic Cooper as a man forced to impersonate Uday Hussein, is premiering at the Sundance Film Festival.
A long-time member of the TCA Board and a longer-time blogger of "American Idol," Dan Fienberg writes about TV, except for when he writes about movies or sometimes writes about the Red Sox. But never music. He would sound stupid talking about music.
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupDave I
January 20, 2011 at 2:34PM EST Reply to CommentStrangely, I think this might work. I was skeptical, albeit interested because I thought Sacha Baron Cohen was going to do a straight-up documentary, you know sort of stretch is acting legs. That said, I could see this being fun and Cohen's been good enough to warrant interest in his projects.
-Cheers