If 20th Century Fox is antsy about the prospects of the yet-to-be-released Borat movie, Universal Pictures doesn't seem to be too worried about the yet-to-be-produced follow-up, based on comedian Sacha Baron Cohen's gay Austrian fashion journalist character from Da Ali G Show. From The Hollywood Reporter:
Sources said that Universal is paying $42.5 million, beating out such other contenders as DreamWorks, Sony Pictures, 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros. Pictures for the worldwide rights to the film (HR 10/27). The price includes the production budget of the film, rumored to be in the $20 million-$25 million range. Also included is a significant backend component, believed to be the 15% range.
Bruno may be the more risky of Baron's characters. Sure, Borat insults the entire nation of Kazakhstan, but Bruno has a way of messing with American masculinity. Oh, and don't forget that time he compared a fashion faux pax to 9/11.