Exclusive: Mike Myers is signed, sealed, delivered for 'Austin Powers 4'
Comic star returns to his best-loved movie role for a new sequel
Mike Myers will return to his best-loved movie role with 'Austin Powers 4,' HitFix has exclusively confirmed.
It was inevitable.
Mike Myers had a small part in Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds," and he's reprised his role as Shrek for both a sequel and a TV special in the last few years, but as far as live-action movies where he's the star, the last one was the disastrous "The Love Guru" in 2008, and the response to that nearly drove him out of the business.
Myers is a very particular talent, a guy who likes to workshop a character for a while before he actually makes a movie. He has not made that many films, all things considered, and a few times over the course of his career, he has actually pulled the plug on things that probably could have gotten made because he didn't feel they were ready. That happened most famously with "Sprockets," the feature-film version of one of his SNL characters. I liked the script he co-wrote with Mike McCullers, but Myers bowed out just before it was supposed to start, killing the film in the process.
His most successful bigscreen character, of course, is the hyper-horny snaggletoothed secret agent Austin Powers, and there has been much talk about the possibility of a fourth film in that series over the last few years. For a while, there was talk of a Dr. Evil spin-off film, but I think all of those weird characters need to share the same universe. Taking one of them into a solo film just seems odd. Whatever the case, we haven't' seen the character since 2002's "Goldmember."
That's about to change, as HitFix can now confirm that Mike Myers just closed his deal to return to the role. Yep. "Austin Powers 4" is coming, officially.
No word yet on who will be directing. I would hope Jay Roach returns as well, since I think a lot of the kick of the films is the '60s pop aesthetic, and Roach has been a big part of that since day one. There's also no word yet on a proposed storyline, but I will certainly start digging to see what I can come up with.
Right now, all that's sure is that someone's going to get shagged, and for the first time in a decade, Austin Powers fans are going to have new material to get excited about. We'll update you as more details become available.
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About This Blog
Los Angeles has changed since 1990, and Drew McWeeny, all-around Chauncey Gardner of movie fandom, has seen it all as an industry insider and screenwriter who wrote for 12 years as "Moriarty" for Ain't It Cool News.
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Next 67 CommentsJeff Yeah, baby, YEAH!!!!
August 12, 2011 at 7:49PM EST Reply to CommentScreenwriter Abdullah H. Erakat That should be the title! Austin Powers 4: yeah, baby, yeah!
August 12, 2011 at 8:38PM ESTTruman_Leonard Oh, behave!
August 12, 2011 at 10:18PM ESTBarry Convex Drew, I remember that you liked "The Love Guru".
August 12, 2011 at 7:59PM EST Reply to Commenthttp://www.aintitcool.com/node/37059
And that Harry, ahem, did not.
http://www.aintitcool.com/node/37138
matt Heh. Embarrassing...
August 12, 2011 at 10:27PM ESTdrew Not embarrassing. I'm an easy lay for comics I like, and I do like Myers and his approach to character comedy a lot. He's broad, he's ridiculous, but he makes me laugh.
August 13, 2011 at 12:31AM ESTIt's not like I tried to scour my review off the Internet. I wrote it. I meant it. And so it goes.
mmcb105 I hate these "gotcha" type comments. Even if he doesn't like the movie anymore, what are you trying to prove? People change their minds about things all the time.
August 13, 2011 at 12:30PM ESTMatthew B What "change his mind"? He wrote that the film was "disastrous" and that "the response to [it] nearly drove [Myers] out of the business", both true statements, neither of which have anything to do with the author's opinion. Even if (especially if) The Love Guru is your favorite movie ever, you have to admit it did very poorly and kind of killed Myers as a box office player, at least for live-action stuff.
August 13, 2011 at 7:07PM ESTCharlie Oh please, please let it be called "Platypussy"! I've been pulling for that since Goldmember. I'm picturing a female villain petting a platypus, and saying "You know Mr. Powers, the platypus is the only venomous mammal."
August 12, 2011 at 8:27PM EST Reply to CommentMonterey Jack Austin Powers...one of the most embarassing-in-retrospect fads in recent memory.
August 12, 2011 at 9:40PM EST Reply to CommentBill Wenham I'll agree and raise you American Pie, which is also getting a fourth installment (not counting the direct-to DVD ones).
August 13, 2011 at 1:30AM ESTConoro Speak for yourself. Outside if half of Goldmember, the series is hilarious.
August 13, 2011 at 7:35PM ESTtrout That is the smartest thing I've ever heard anyone say about anything, ever.
August 13, 2011 at 10:36PM ESTCharles I don't like things because they're fads. I liked it because it was a smart and funny satire, which it still is. You should be more embarassed that you don't understand what's funny about it anymore.
August 15, 2011 at 8:07AM ESTMulderism Austin Powers = Comedies without laughs.
August 12, 2011 at 9:47PM EST Reply to CommentCharles Oh, you laughed at it. Don't lie. The first one was brilliant and no one had ever seen anything like it when it came out. Quit acting like you were ahead of everyone on their thinking.
August 15, 2011 at 8:49AM ESTMulderism Yes, I laughed once during the first one which was one more laugh than the second. Didn't see the third one. Good premise but not very well executed.
August 16, 2011 at 12:20AM ESTGOLDCARDMEMBER You clearly don't understand 1960's Bond " satire" & the comic genius that is present in the many silly characters Mike Myers portrays in these films! You don't look like a fun guy...rather old & farty, the kind of person who is so constipated he's full of s@@t...piss off you old fart! lol lol lol
September 24, 2011 at 11:03PM ESTdale Wow, I can't believe it's been a decade since the last one.. didn't think it was that long ago !
August 12, 2011 at 10:02PM EST Reply to Commentdug He should go to the Eighties.
August 12, 2011 at 10:22PM EST Reply to Commentmmcb105 Or the 50's, lol
August 13, 2011 at 12:31PM ESTMike LaRue Can't wait, are all you guys 6 & 7's?
August 12, 2011 at 10:24PM EST Reply to Comment~Nikita~ That is a perfect reply. Love it.
August 13, 2011 at 12:09AM ESTShagadelic Groovy Baby Yeah
August 12, 2011 at 10:24PM EST Reply to CommentJohnDoe Awesome. And the Austin Powers movies are hilarious, if you're a fan of the James Bond films or 60
August 12, 2011 at 10:25PM EST Reply to Comments spy movies that they parody.
August 12, 2011 at 10:56PM EST Reply to CommentMark Tornits who is the deal with Warner Brothers?
August 12, 2011 at 11:00PM EST Reply to Commentdrew New Line. They still exist, just under the Warner imprint.
August 12, 2011 at 11:54PM ESTmark tornits thanks drewbert~
August 13, 2011 at 1:18AM ESTTim Lewis Great scoop Drew!... ;-)
August 12, 2011 at 11:21PM EST Reply to Comment
August 12, 2011 at 11:26PM EST Reply to CommentRhyan Austin needs different villains and not just Dr. Evil every friggin film. James Bond had a lot of memorable villains, surely Myers can create someone new and equally as funny as Dr. Evil.
August 13, 2011 at 12:01AM EST Reply to Commentmelissa Please please please tell me Seth Green will be back as Scott Evil!
August 13, 2011 at 12:06AM EST Reply to CommentDurr Goldmember set him up as a potential villain from what i remember. He better be back.
August 13, 2011 at 7:25PM ESTRev. Slappy I liked the first one and was kind of indifferent to the second one. But the third one was really awful. Ten years later is there an audience for this?
August 13, 2011 at 12:09AM EST Reply to CommentGavin Jackson Well the last one sucked. And has anyone noticed how Powers himself seems to be getting less and less screen time (whilst Myers keep dreaming up stupid characters like Goldmember to fill up the screen with). At least we got a ten year breather.
August 13, 2011 at 12:22AM EST Reply to CommentAndrew Falconer The movie is being filmed 11 years later and the last movie was set in 1969. AP4 would have to take place in 1980 with that unusually awkward transition in styles in the culture. The director would have to recreate that clash.
August 13, 2011 at 12:24AM EST Reply to CommentBill Wenham And the first one took place in the 90s...what's your point?
August 13, 2011 at 1:34AM ESTJerry Anyone know where I can find the Sprockets/Dieter script? I'm dying to read it.
August 13, 2011 at 12:27AM EST Reply to CommentMike I would argue Wayne Campbell or Sherk as his best BIG Screen hits..... but what would I know. SWING!!!!!!!
August 13, 2011 at 12:41AM EST Reply to Commentjj er, I think you mean "schwing." which, if I recall the context of when Wayne would say it, implies that this is giving you an erection.
August 13, 2011 at 8:32PM ESTBrandon They should have it take place before he gets frozen.
August 13, 2011 at 2:13AM EST Reply to CommentHunter Groovy Baby! Msybe there'll be a Waynes World 3 next :D
August 13, 2011 at 3:00AM EST Reply to CommentI. S. Myers is the real deal. He knows what he's doing and it's usually a pleasure to see him doing it. There is a self-loathing streak to his comedy that makes it uncomfortably compelling, as long as you are aware enough to pick up on it. I wish he would find something new to do, it sounds like he's been burned.
August 13, 2011 at 3:20AM EST Reply to CommentSomerville Guru was a great movie, but u have to be not a stuckup write to know that.
August 13, 2011 at 3:41AM EST Reply to CommentDAn Darret I think OSS 117 has already done Austin Powers one better.
August 13, 2011 at 7:29AM EST Reply to CommentJacqueline Razza I'll wear my Felicity Shagwell dress and call myself Ivana Humpalot....
August 13, 2011 at 7:58AM EST Reply to CommentJason K What exactly sucked about Goldmember? OK so the one thing was the AP himself wasn't the main source of Comedy - but the movie was very clever with it's comedy - I thought Beyonce was weak and the fact that they cast high profile stars in the movie was dumb (shows what happens when hollywood gets their hands on stuff) but it was still a very clever and very funny movie - and the movies have never been about logic. Don't even try. All the subtle things were hilarious. Mike Myers also should try movies where he plays a regular guy like "So I Married an Axe Murderer" - I believe his best next to first Austin Powers.
August 13, 2011 at 8:29AM ESTxCharmCandyx They should totally let Britney star in this movie, not just a guest appearance but she should be a leading lady or something or maybe they could use one of her songs.
August 13, 2011 at 8:44AM EST Reply to CommentSomerville No britney please!!!!
August 13, 2011 at 10:33AM ESTJohn Face it, it's going to be a 2 hour long rehash of jokes from the first three movies.
August 13, 2011 at 10:55AM EST Reply to CommentAs far as I'm concerned the only way to freshen up this series is with new talent. Cast entirely new actors in all the lead roles - the series originally started as a Bond parody, why not continue the parody by putting someone else in the role of Austin every few years? Best case scenario is if they do a tongue-in-cheek "gritty" Austin a la Casino Royale.
Caddis I thought Goldmember is what really got Beyonce's career off the ground... Truly masterful film. "Shazam!!"
August 13, 2011 at 11:12AM EST Reply to Comment- 1
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