‘Austin Powers’ Sequel Gets an Update as Mike Myers Says Dr. Evil Will Take Center Stage

Few comedy franchises left a mark on pop culture like ‘Austin Powers’. The shagadelic spy spoof gave us catchphrases, a pinky-to-the-lip pose and a villain who has outlived most of the jokes around him. Fans have been waiting more than 20 years for a new chapter, and the latest ‘Austin Powers’ sequel news suggests the wait may be paying off.

The series began in 1997 and ran through ‘Austin Powers in Goldmember’ in 2002. ‘The Spy Who Shagged Me’ remains its biggest hit, grossing $312 million worldwide, and the films together made well over half a billion dollars. Other than a handful of commercials, the franchise has been quiet since 2002.

For years, Myers kept the door half open. He said back in 2018 that he wanted to make a movie from Dr. Evil’s perspective, and in 2024 he told ET he could neither confirm nor deny such a project, though it was likely to be from Dr. Evil’s point of view. Director Jay Roach said in 2020 that a fourth film depended on Myers finding something that inspired him.

Then came a clearer signal. In June, a fan asked Myers on Trevor Noah’s World Cup Watch Party whether there would be an ‘Austin Powers 4’, and he answered with a one-word yes. The timing matched a Verizon ad that brought back Dr. Evil, with Seth Green, Mindy Sterling and Rob Lowe returning in their old roles.

Now Myers has gone further. Speaking on the Hollywood Insiders With Hawk Koch podcast, he confirmed that he’s writing the new script and that it leans heavily toward the franchise’s bald, scene-stealing villain. “It’s more from Dr. Evil’s point of view so far,” he said, adding that it’s a very fun character to play.

The words “so far” matter. They suggest the script is still a work in progress, so the final shape of the film could still change. No release date, plot or casting details have been announced.

Myers explained that when he talks to fans, opinion splits about 50-50 between people who prefer Austin and people who prefer Dr. Evil. He also recalled one of the first studio notes after a screening of the original film, which asked for less Dr. Evil because audiences didn’t like him being mean to Austin. Myers disagreed, pointing out that the character got big laughs.

The studio note has since been proven wrong. Dr. Evil is every bit as quotable as Austin, and he already shared the spotlight in the second film, where he negotiated fatherhood with his son Scott and the tiny clone Mini-Me. ‘Goldmember’ pushed him into the background in favor of its new arch-villain, also played by Myers.

It has been a long and winding road. Myers has talked about another movie for roughly two decades, and past reports of progress have never panned out. That history is why the June “yes” and this latest update feel different, since Myers himself is now describing active writing.

There are still open questions about how the film would work. Verne Troyer, who played Mini-Me, is no longer with us, and Roach once said a fourth film may not be possible without him. Any new film would also need new leading women, following Elizabeth Hurley, Heather Graham and Beyoncé.

For now, the safest read is a Dr. Evil-led comedy that returns to the franchise’s roots. That is a strategy with precedent, since the character has long been the franchise’s secret weapon, and the Verizon ad proved that audiences still respond to him.

Myers has never rushed these projects, and “so far” leaves plenty of room for change. But after years of coy teases, hearing him say he’s writing the script is the clearest sign yet that Dr. Evil may finally get his own big-screen moment.

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