It’s hard to believe, but it’s been over 20 years since Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me released in theaters. The follow up to 1997’s International Man of Mystery proved to be a huge success, grossing over $300 million at the box office, and even snagging an Academy Award nomination for Best Makeup. As many will know, the third film in the series, Goldmember, came out a few years later, but ever since, the franchise has been lying dormant, although Mike Myers occasionally reprises his role as Dr. Evil on late-night TV.
While it’s largely flown under the radar, it turns out a fourth movie has been in the works for well over a decade, though it’s safe to say it’s stuck in development hell. Multiple reports indicate that the sequel could focus on Dr. Evil and his son, though it’s not entirely clear if a finished script even exists.
Of course, there are a few other matters that seem to be holding up development, one of which revolves around the film’s casting. Actor Verne Troyer, who is best known for playing Dr. Evil’s diminutive clone, Mini-Me, passed away in 2017. His death has complicated matters, too, with series director Jay Roach explaining that a fourth film seems unlikely without Verne’s involvement.
To be honest, I don’t know how we’d do it without Verne. We always had ideas of revealing a whole life that he had that would have taken his character much further. If Mike [Myers] cracks it and figures it out, we would definitely do some kind of tribute to him. I’m there if he ever wants to do it.
While it’s yet to be addressed by any of the franchise’s creative talent, one also has to wonder if a fourth Austin Powers movie would resonate with today’s audiences. For better or worse, the crude, innuendo-centric humor that proved popular in the late ’90s and early 2000s doesn’t seem to be as widely accepted in today’s day and age. As such, we won’t be holding our breath for another Austin Powers flick, but we’ll be sure to let you know if we hear any more updates.