It's been over two decades since Austin Powers last graced our screens — and for a long time, the prospect of a fourth film felt about as real as a villain's underground lair. But Mike Myers has just made it very real indeed, confirming in the most characteristically brief fashion that Austin Powers 4 is on its way.
Myers made the announcement during Trevor Noah's World Cup Watch Party, when a fan in the audience cut straight to the chase and asked whether a fourth instalment was ever going to happen. Myers' response? A single, emphatic "Yes."
"Wow, that was a quick 'Yes,'" Noah remarked, visibly taken aback by the speed of the confirmation.
And quick it was — but after years of will-they-won't-they speculation, fans will take it. Industry bible Variety reported the exchange, and while Myers offered no further details, the sheer confidence of that one-word answer suggests this isn't just wishful thinking.
The Franchise That Refused to Die
The original Austin Powers trilogy ran between 1997 and 2002, with the final chapter, Austin Powers in Goldmember, pulling in an extraordinary cast that included Michael Caine as Nigel Powers and Beyoncé as Foxxy Cleopatra. That film alone featured cameos from Tom Cruise, Danny DeVito, Gwyneth Paltrow, Britney Spears, Quincy Jones and the late Ozzy Osbourne, among others — a who's who of early noughties celebrity that now reads like a time capsule.
Across all three films, the franchise grossed over half a billion dollars globally and lodged itself permanently into pop culture — its catchphrases, costumes and general grooviness showing no signs of fading from fancy dress parties and television parodies alike. Myers himself is the creative engine behind it all, having not only created and played Austin Powers but also worked as screenwriter and producer across the trilogy.
Dr Evil in the Spotlight?
As for what the fourth film might actually look like, Myers has previously dropped a fairly significant hint. As far back as 2019, he suggested that a sequel ought to be told from Dr Evil's perspective — a bold move that would essentially see the franchise's most beloved villain take centre stage while the shagadelic spy himself steps back.
He reiterated in 2024 that there are "definitely more stories to tell," which at least suggests the project has been simmering in his mind for some time. Whether the Dr Evil-led concept survives into the final script remains to be seen, but it's an intriguing direction for a franchise that has always been as much about its villain as its hero.
No casting details have emerged beyond Myers' own involvement — which is essentially a given, given that Austin Powers is entirely his creation. Whether familiar faces from the original trilogy will return, or an entirely new roster of celebrity cameos is being assembled, is anyone's guess at this stage.
The Long Wait Continues — For Now
Fans would be wise to temper their excitement slightly: even with Myers' confirmation, it could be several years before Austin Powers 4 reaches cinemas. Hollywood development timelines being what they are, a single "yes" on a chat show does not a release date make.
But after 23 years in the wilderness — and after Myers spent much of that period teasing the possibility without ever quite committing — this feels meaningfully different. The man created one of the most enduring comedy franchises in modern cinema history with a limited budget and an enormous amount of charm. Whatever he has planned for the fourth chapter, the world is ready.
Yeah, baby!!
