Controversial Comedy Joining Netflix 20 Years After Huge Box Office Success

Sacha Baron Cohen's beloved comedy classic Borat: Cultural Learnings of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan will be joining Netflix at the beginning of next month.

Directed by Larry Charles, the film stars Cohen as a fictional resident of Kazakhstan named Borat, who travels to the United States to make a documentary on the country. While most of the story is scripted, the film also features unscripted encounters with people on the street who were unaware that Borat isn't real.

The film was an enormous hit across the world, pulling in an impressive $262 million against a reported budget of $18 million (via Box Office Mojo). It was praised as one of the most original comedy films ever written, and it was a clear indicator that the genre was evolving in fresh and interesting ways.

Borat's success went beyond the box office, with Cohen taking home a Golden Globe award for his lead performance. The film even secured an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, which marked a historic accomplishment for the comedy genre.

Despite all this acclaim, there was still understandable controversy surrounding Borat. The film was banned in almost all Arab states and was formally denounced by the Kazakh government due to its allegedly unfair depiction of the country.

Borat was later embraced by Kazakhstan following the film's immense success, where it was used as marketing material for the country's tourism board. While it still receives criticism for its potentially offensive content, Borat is widely regarded as an excellent comedy film that pushed the genre forward in many ways.

It was ranked No. 26 on Variety's list of the 100 Best Comedy Movies of All Time, just behind classics such as M*A*S*H and Bridesmaids. A sequel, titled Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm, was released in 2020.

Borat will join Netflix in the U.S. on May 1, 2026, alongside several new additions to the streaming platform. Until then, the film is currently unavailable to stream in the United States. Those looking to watch Borat at home before May 1 will have to buy or rent the film on any major VOD platform, such as Amazon Prime or Apple TV.