One Single Word Just Made ‘Austin Powers 4’ the Most Anticipated Comedy Sequel in Years
Few comedy franchises have inspired as much devoted nostalgia as the ‘Austin Powers’ series. Since the original film launched in 1997 as a gleeful send-up of the James Bond genre, Mike Myers’ shagadelic British spy became one of cinema’s most beloved comic creations, spawning a cultural footprint that far exceeded its box office. The three films collectively grossed over $670 million worldwide and became genuine cultural touchstones, turning catchphrases into everyday vernacular and Myers’ various characters into pop culture shorthand for an entire era of comedy.
For over two decades, the question of whether a fourth film would ever materialize has been a running gag in itself, with Myers delivering a long and lovingly evasive series of non-answers. In a 2022 SiriusXM interview, he described the situation as a “non-confirmed confirmation confirmation,” saying he would love to return but could “neither confirm nor deny” that anything was in the works. Fans had grown accustomed to treating each teaser as another playful act from the man who made Dr. Evil one of the great comic villain performances of his generation.
Then came a single word that changed everything. During an appearance on comedian Trevor Noah’s FIFA World Cup livestream watch party on June 16, Myers was asked directly by a fan whether audiences would ever see ‘Austin Powers 4’. He replied with an immediate “Yes,” catching Noah off guard enough that the host laughed and said, “Wow. That was a quick yes.” Myers offered no further elaboration, but for a man who spent years constructing elaborate ways to say nothing, the brevity spoke volumes.
The moment landed against a backdrop of renewed franchise energy. Earlier that same day, Verizon released a new advertising campaign that reunited Myers with original co-stars Rob Lowe, Seth Green, and Mindy Sterling, with the group launching a fictional wireless company called “Menace Mobile” as Dr. Evil. The commercial was directed by franchise director Jay Roach himself, marking the first time the core group had reunited on screen since a Super Bowl spot in 2022. The timing was anything but accidental, and online conversation about a fourth film exploded well before Myers confirmed it that evening.
Creatively, the direction of a potential sequel has been discussed for years. Myers has long indicated he would want any fourth film to center heavily on Dr. Evil rather than Austin himself, a concept he first floated back in 2007. Franchise director Jay Roach has kept the door open on his end as well, telling Deadline that everything depends on Myers finding the right story, adding that Myers “is a genius” and that returning would “be a blast.” As of now, no script, studio deal, or release date has been confirmed, making this confirmation of intent rather than confirmation of production.
Myers has remained active in recent years, making a cameo appearance as music executive Walter Yetnikoff in the Michael Jackson biopic ‘Michael’ and starring in the Netflix comedy series ‘The Pentaverate’ in 2022. He is also set to return as the voice of Shrek in ‘Shrek 5’, due in theaters in 2027. A fourth ‘Austin Powers’ film alongside that return would mark one of the most significant comedy comebacks in recent Hollywood history.
Whether “yes” turns into an actual greenlit production remains to be seen, but after years of “non-confirmed confirmation confirmations,” hearing Myers say it plainly and without hesitation felt like something worth celebrating. If ‘Austin Powers 4’ does eventually arrive and leans into the Dr. Evil angle Myers has long championed, it could give the sequel a genuine identity rather than simply rehashing the original formula. Would you want the fourth film to center on Dr. Evil, or should Austin Powers himself stay front and center?
