With Mike Myers reviving Dr. Evil, Austin Powers fans are still hoping for a shagadelic fourth movie to someday hit the big screen.
During an appearance on Trevor Noah’s World Cup Watch Party that streamed live Tuesday, a fan asked, “Are we ever going to see an Austin Powers 4?” to which Myers quickly replied, “Yes,” but did not speak further on the topic. This followed a Verizon commercial that was released online earlier in the day and features Myers as Austin Powers villain Dr. Evil, alongside such in-character franchise stars as Rob Lowe (playing Number 2), Seth Green (Scott Evil) and Mindy Sterling (Frau Farbissina).
Myers and filmmaker Jay Roach, who helmed New Line’s 1997 comedy Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery and its two sequels, have both previously teased the possibility of a fourth movie. However, there has been no sign of any concrete progress on a new movie for the James Bond-spoofing franchise that last hit theaters with 2002’s Austin Powers in Goldmember.
“I hear about that all the time,” Michael York, known for playing British Intelligence head Basil Exposition in all three movies, tells The Hollywood Reporter about sequel chatter. “And I hope it’s true because that [franchise] really works. Nobody knew at the beginning it would, but [Myers] did — and not once, but three times.”
Clint Howard, who appears in all three films as the radar operator alerting his team to Dr. Evil’s uniquely shaped spacecraft, would not hesitate to join for a fourth Austin Powers. “I would step up and show up immediately,” Howard tells THR. “The first Austin Powers was just this little comedy, but I had a great time. I get asked about Austin Powers all the time at pop conventions.”
Howard notes that he had been told by someone other than Myers that the sadness surrounding the 2018 death of Verne Troyer, known as Mini-Me, may have impacted progress on a fourth movie at the time. Troyer joined the franchise as Dr. Evil’s clone in 1999’s Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me before returning for Goldmember.
Verne Troyer (left) and Mike Myers in Austin Powers in Goldmember.
Courtesy of Everett Collection
“I heard that when Verne passed away, Mike said he would never do another Austin Powers movie without Verne,” Howard says. “Maybe time heals that wound.” The actor adds, “Certainly, if they need a guy to say, ‘It looks like a giant …,’ I’ll be the first to sign up. What we’ve got to do is cosmically plant a bug in Mike’s ear.”
While Hollywood has struggled in recent years to find theatrical comedy tentpoles — perhaps underscored by Sony’s plans to revive the 21 Jump Street films — the Austin Powers trilogy represents proven success. The first movie collected $67 million at the box office, and the second film was even bigger, surpassing $310 million globally. The third title was just shy of the $300 million mark.
In 2007, Myers told IGN that there was a “fully conceived idea” for Austin Powers 4 that would center on Dr. Evil’s perspective. During a 2024 exchange with Entertainment Tonight, the star said that the franchise “absolutely” has more left to explore.
