Ladies First (2026)
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A chauvinistic executive is thrust into a matriarchal society after a fall, forcing him to confront the reality of gender discrimination.
The story
Executive Damien Sachs, a wealthy and chauvinistic man working for the advertising agency Atlas, faces a crisis when a client demands more female representation in their campaign. To appease them, Damien falsely claims a woman was promoted and eventually selects Alex Fox, a hardworking but overlooked employee, to fill the role. After a heated confrontation with Alex, Damien suffers a fall and loses consciousness. Upon waking, he finds the world has transformed into a matriarchy where roles are reversed, and he must navigate this new reality to reclaim his position and understand the impact of his previous actions.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Damien Sachs, a chauvinistic executive at Atlas, lies about a female promotion to win a contract. He promotes Alex Fox, a woman who eventually quits in disgust at his behavior. After a fall, Damien wakes up in a world where gender roles are reversed: he is treated as the subordinate, and women hold the power. Guided by a 'Pigeon Man,' Damien attempts to navigate this world to become CEO. He undergoes a makeover to appear more appealing to women and eventually finds himself in a complicated dynamic with Alex. After a series of events, including a legal dispute and a shared moment of vulnerability, Damien hits his head again and returns to his original world. He returns to his office as a changed man, advocating for equality and offering Alex a fair opportunity, leading to a successful campaign.
- First release year
- 2026
- Runtime (minutes)
- 93
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Thea Sharrock
- Writers
- Natalie Krinsky · screenplay; Cinco Paul · screenplay; Katie Silberman · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Sacha Baron Cohen; Rosamund Pike; Charles Dance; Emily Mortimer; Tom Davis; Richard E. Grant; Fiona Shaw
- Genres
- comedy
- Themes
- gender roles; sexism
- Premise and plot tags
- gender swap; alternate reality
- Source material / true-story basis
- I Am Not an Easy Man
- Reception
- The film received mixed to negative reviews, with critics describing it as a cloying and unfunny exploration of gender roles.
- Production trivia
- The film was shot at Shepperton Studios in Surrey, England.; The film was shot in London's Financial District and Hampstead.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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