Jay Roach, director of the Austin Powers trilogy, has cast doubt on the possibility of a fourth film.
Last November, Mike Myers who plays the titular James Bond parody character gave hope to a new film, saying the project is “looking good” and promised “you’re gonna see Dr. Evil soon, somewhere in the culture.”
But Roach has now said he is unsure if the film will ever get off the ground, primarily because of the death of Verne Troyer in 2018, who played Dr. Evil’s sidekick Mini-Me.
He told The Independent: “We’ve been trying to think up an idea that could earn a fourth film for a long time, but it’s always up to Mike. He and I always thought there was more to do with Dr Evil.”
Roach added: “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 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.”
The James Bond parody movies first made their way to cinema screens in 1997, with Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me was released in 1999 before the Beyonce-starring Austin Powers in Goldmember in 2002.
Rumours of a fourth movie had been swirling since May 2018, after Myers said a sequel may be in the works.
Last year, Myers reprised his role as Dr Evil for a comedy sketch on The Tonight Show. Dr. Evil was portrayed as an ousted Trump cabinet member who was disgruntled that Steve Bannon had already taken the title of “Secretary of Evil”.