Sacha Baron Cohen built his career on fearless, absurd satire, transforming himself into Ali G, Borat, and The Dictator with a commitment to provocation that could make a Marvel villain reconsider his career choices. His talent for ambushing unsuspecting interview subjects became an art form.

Imagine that chaos crashing into Quentin Tarantino's blood-soaked cinematic universe. The two have spent two decades circling a collaboration, including an abandoned Django Unchained appearance.

Cohen has finally explained why he would say yes to Tarantino almost without looking at the script.

Some actors demand scripts and schedules. Sacha Baron Cohen needs one detail: who is directing. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, the comedian described a personal rule about accepting work from filmmakers he admires. He would agree to a project.

“Even if it’s instinctively the wrong project.” he said.

Tarantino, unsurprisingly, sits comfortably on that very short list. Their creative courtship began around 20 years ago, when they discussed adapting The Scarlet Pimpernel, a story full of disguises that practically screams Cohen's name. After Borat arrived in 2006, regular dinners followed. Imagine the conversations at the next table, desperately hoping neither man was recording.

Then came Django Unchained. Cohen nearly appeared opposite Kerry Washington and even had a prosthetic chin prepared because Tarantino wanted him to resemble a character from the 1940s. That is commitment to facial architecture. Unfortunately, Cohen's Les Misérables schedule intervened, leaving the role on the cutting-room floor before filming.

Meanwhile, another familiar Cohen character has been quietly preparing a comeback with considerably fewer swords and louder sunglasses.

Booyakasha. The tracksuit has escaped storage. Sacha Baren Cohen secretly filmed Ali G: Who Iz I?, his return to the swaggering, spectacularly clueless interviewer who helped launch his career. Amazon MGM Studios has confirmed an October 23 theatrical release, with Cohen making his feature directorial debut.

According to the film's official storyline, Ali G learns that his longtime girlfriend Julie is pregnant, then heads to America hoping to reclaim his old celebrity. Naturally, an encounter with dangerous opponents threatens his growing family. A completely reasonable itinerary for someone whose interview technique once consisted largely of baffling important people.

The undercover production recalls Borat, although the new film now has trailers and a confirmed release. The last Ali G feature, Ali G Indahouse, arrived in 2002. Two decades have passed, and fresh targets await Cohen's satire. Between the return of Ali G and actual sword training with Tarantino, Cohen has apparently decided that subtle career pivots are for other people.

“I've Been Boning” — Sacha Baron Cohen’s Ali G Reveals Why It Took Him 20 Years to Get Back in the Saddle

Would you watch Cohen's long-awaited Tarantino collaboration or his Ali G comeback first? Let us know in the comments.