Ladies First: Sacha Baron Cohen's Gender-Flipped Netflix Comedy Might Be His Wildest Movie Yet

Borat Meets The Handmaid's Tale — But Make It a Comedy

Sacha Baron Cohen has never been one to play it safe, and his latest Netflix film Ladies First is no exception. The comedy, directed by Thea Sharrock (who previously helmed Wicked Little Letters), drops Cohen into a world where gender roles are completely flipped — women run everything, and men are treated as the weaker sex. It's a bold premise, a timely one, and based on the first trailer, it looks absolutely hilarious.

A World Turned Upside Down

Cohen plays Damien, a man who finds himself transported to an alternate universe where women hold all the positions of power, authority, and privilege. Co-starring Rosamund Pike — who brings her signature sharp intensity to the role — the film is a loose adaptation of the French comedy I Am Not an Easy Man (2018), but with Cohen's unmistakable brand of provocative, boundary-pushing humor baked into every scene.

The trailer showcases Cohen in full comedic form, playing a man completely unprepared for a world where the rules he took for granted no longer apply. It's the kind of social satire that made Borat and The Dictator cultural phenomena — using humor to hold up a mirror to society's inequalities, only this time the mirror is reflecting a world where men are on the receiving end.

Why This Movie Could Be Cohen's Comeback Moment

After a few years away from the kind of provocative comedy that made him famous, Ladies First feels like Sacha Baron Cohen returning to his roots with a fresh twist. The gender-flipped premise gives him room to do what he does best: make audiences laugh while making them think. Rosamund Pike's involvement adds serious dramatic credibility — her performance in Gone Girl proved she can play chillingly authoritative roles with effortless precision.

The film joins an already stacked Netflix May 2026 lineup that includes Kevin Hart doubling up with two new projects and Tina Fey returning with The Four Seasons. But Ladies First might just be the most conversation-worthy title on the entire slate. Whether it lands as brilliant satire or lands somewhere more divisive, one thing is certain: it won't be boring.

Ladies First is coming to Netflix soon. Get ready for Sacha Baron Cohen to make everyone uncomfortable again — and that's exactly the point.