‘Ladies First‘ looks like Netflix is leaning hard into a sharp, high-concept comedy this May, with Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat, The Trial of the Chicago 7) and Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl, I Care a Lot) going head-to-head in a parallel world where the usual rules of power have been completely reversed.
The film follows Damien Sachs, a smug, high-powered advertising exec who has built his life around money, status, and treating everyone around him terribly. That all comes crashing down when he wakes up in an alternate reality dominated by women, and suddenly finds himself on the back foot in a world that no longer plays to his advantage. Standing directly in his way is Alex Fox, played by Pike, an employee Damien had previously overlooked, but who now holds all the cards.
From the trailer, ‘Ladies First’ looks like it is playing with that premise in a broad, satirical way, flipping workplace politics, social expectations, and gender dynamics on Damien’s head as he scrambles to survive in a reality where he is no longer the one in control. Cohen seems well cast as the entitled exec getting a long overdue reality check, while Pike looks like she is having a lot of fun as the fierce rival making his life even more difficult.
The film is directed by Thea Sharrock, and is based on the French movie I Am Not an Easy Man. Alongside Cohen and Pike, the cast also includes Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Gosford Park), Emily Mortimer (Paddington in Peru, The Newsroom), Charles Dance (Game of Thrones, The Crown), Fiona Shaw (Killing Eve, Bad Sisters), Tom Davis (Wonka, Murder in Successville), Weruche Opia (I May Destroy You, Genius: MLK/X), Kadiff Kirwan (Slow Horses, This Is Going to Hurt), Kathryn Hunter, and Bill Paterson.
It is also a pretty strong reminder that Netflix is continuing to stack its comedy slate with recognisable names, and this one has just enough bite in the setup to make it stand out from the usual rom-com crowd. Whether it lands as sharp satire or broader crowd-pleasing comedy remains to be seen, but the cast alone makes it one to watch.
‘Ladies First‘ premieres Friday, 22nd May 2026 on Netflix.
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