Mega-deal for Baron Cohen's next film

Sacha Baron Cohen has signed a deal for his new comedy movie that could net him up to £50million.

Paramount Studios won a Hollywood bidding war for a secret project involving the Bruno star and three of the men behind Curb Your Enthusiasm – after reportedly sending a goat to Baron Cohen’s agent to win him over.

The gesture comes because in the film, he apparently has dual roles as both a goat herder and a deposed foreign dictator lost in America.

Studio chiefs sent the animal – wearing a Paramount T-shirt – to the offices of William Morris Endeavor, where it caused chaos.

According to the influential website Deadline Hollywood, the firm's chief executive, Ari Emanuel – the real-life inspiration for Ari Gold in Entourage – eventually ‘had the goat removed after it took a dump in the hallway’.

Baron Cohen is reported to have signed one of Hollywood’s lucrative but elusive ‘20-20’ deals: $20million up front, plus 20 per cent of gross revenues.

The deal comes despite the only modest success of the much-hyped Bruno movie.

One source gold Deadline Hollywood: ‘This actually shows where the bar is for A-talent to get something done. It used to be that if an A-talent was interested in a project, that would get the movie going. Now, you have to have the combination of an A-level star and a great idea that is completely developed.’

Baron Cohen pitched the idea to six major studios with writers Alec Berg, Jeff Schaffer and David Mandel – and four were said to be keen.

Published: 27 Apr 2010