DreamWorks plucks 'Schmucks' for Ali G

Brit comic to star in remake of Veber pic

By MICHAEL FLEMING

Cohen

DreamWorks has finally figured out how to do a Hollywood remake of Francis Veber's French comic hit "Le Diner de Cons" ("The Idiot Game"). The studio has retitled the film "Dinner for Schmucks" and set a place at the head of the table for Sacha Baron Cohen, better known as the star of HBO's "Da Ali G Show."

The French film focused on a weekly dinner party held by a Paris publisher who challenges his friends to bring the most pathetic guest to the gathering. In the new version, Cohen will play a character deemed to possess such "extraordinary schmuckiness" that he is capable of ruining the life of anyone who spends more than a few minutes in his orbit. The pic will provide Cohen a showcase to unveil a variety of new characters like the ones he employs in his HBO series.

"We are huge fans of 'Da Ali G Show' and were absolutely thrilled when Sacha sparked to the script," said Walter Parkes, who's producing the remake with Laurie MacDonald. "The trick with a talent like Sacha's is to find a vehicle rich enough to accommodate his unique ability to create characters, and we think we have that with 'Dinner for Schmucks.' "

DreamWorks exec Marc Haimes is steering the comedy and a director is expected to be named shortly. The most recent draft of the script was written by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio.

Cohen's reps at Mosaic and Endeavor are in the process of negotiating a two-season extension for his HBO show, which gained a cult following after its first six-episode run. But they clearly feel his future is in features. Aside from "Schmucks," Cohen has been talking with Fox Searchlight to see if there is a feature in Borat, the Kazakh TV reporter character Cohen hatched for "Ali G."