Sacha Baron Cohen seems to be retiring one of his most iconic characters, Borat, as he looks towards a future in the Marvel universe. During an interview with ScreenRant, the actor was questioned about which character fans could expect to see first: Borat or his Marvel character, Mephisto. Cohen responded candidly, suggesting that Borat’s time might be over. “I think Mephisto. I don’t know if Borat will ever return.” He said.
Cohen gained fame through his portrayal of a variety of surreal and often shocking characters in real-life scenarios. One such character, Ali-G, was so convincing that he was allowed into the presence of some of the world’s most famous people, including Donald Trump, to ask absurd questions. However, Borat took this to another level. The character’s debut film was a global sensation, dominating the box office and earning nominations for major awards, including an Oscar.
Given Borat’s global recognition, it became difficult to maintain the character’s authenticity, as many people were aware that he was not a real person. Cohen put the character on hold for approximately 15 years, but he brought him back for the critically acclaimed sequel, “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,” set during the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 presidential election. However, this may be the final appearance of Borat.
It is possible that Borat is now so recognizable and consistently creates controversial situations that Cohen realises it is no longer feasible to continue the character. In the 2020 sequel, Cohen was rushed by a crowd of angry protesters while performing on stage. He also made headlines after staging an incident where Rudy Giuliani attempted to sleep with Borat’s daughter. While it is possible that Borat could make a surprise return, it seems more likely that Cohen would embrace a different, less familiar character first.
Cohen has also been exploring roles outside of shock comedy, such as his work with Marvel. He appeared in the Disney+ series, “Ironheart,” last year as Mephisto, a devil-like character who often tempts others with lucrative offers at a high cost. Notably, Mephisto allowed Peter Parker the opportunity to bring Aunt May back from the dead, but at the cost of radically changing Peter’s entire life.
It is unclear where Mephisto may appear next. He could potentially show up in a future “Spider-Man” film, especially since “Brand New Day” appears to be loosely adapting the aforementioned storyline. He could also make an appearance in more magical stories, such as the next “Doctor Strange” movie. Either way, it does not seem like Mephisto’s time is up quite yet.
Photo by Jason Merritt/FilmMagic.
