Mike Myers' Dr. Evil from the Austin Powers films will return for a new Super Bowl ad for General Motors. Dr. Evil is the arch-nemesis of Austin Powers in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. Powers is a British spy from the '60s who constantly thwarts Dr. Evil's plans throughout the comedy franchise. The first Austin Powers film debuted in 1997, spawning two sequels, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and Austin Powers in Goldmember. Goldmember was the last film in the series, but Myers has consistently reiterated that he'd love to return for a fourth Austin Powers film, although nothing has come to fruition as of yet. All three of the films were directed by Jay Roach, who has also said he'd be happy to return to the series.
Myers has also said that a fourth Austin Powers film would shift the focus to Dr. Evil's perspective. However, actor Verne Troyer, who played Mini-Me in the franchise, passed away in 2018, which complicates the plans for a fourth film, as the character was so central to Dr. Evil. Myers has said that a script is already written for the film, but no start date, casting, or story details have been revealed as of yet, furthering doubts that it will ever come to be. Still, Myers has reprised the role of Dr. Evil in recent years, both on SNL and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Now, it appears that Dr. Evil will be back again, as a new tease for an upcoming Super Bowl ad indicates. The ad is from General Motors and features Dr. Evil's signature music theme, along with some onscreen titles, leading to the famed villain turning around in his chair and laughing his evil laugh, his pinky firmly in place. The full ad is set to be revealed on February 13, which will no doubt have something to do with GM's upcoming push for electric vehicles, including the Chevrolet Bolt and the Chevrolet Silverado. Take a look at the tease for the ad below:
Myers has been in semi-retirement since the late 2000s, showing up sporadically for different roles or reprising old favorites like Dr. Evil or Wayne from Wayne's World. Myers is best known for his work on SNL, which blossomed into a feature film career that included two Wayne's World films, three Austin Powers films, as well as three films in the animated franchise, Shrek, which also has a number of spinoff specials. Myers also appeared in Quentin Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds, as well as the Freddie Mercury biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody. He'll next appear in the Netflix series The Pentaverate, which he also created.
Dr. Evil is one of the most-quoted characters in modern cinema, with nearly everyone who has seen the Austin Powers films recreating his signature mannerisms and catch phrases, even today. The popularity of the Austin Powers series has remained consistently strong since the last film debuted, leaving many fans wondering why there haven't been more. For Myers, who shifted focus to parenthood in the wake of his success, he seems to be gravitating back to Hollywood, particularly with his new Netflix show, so perhaps there's still hope that Dr. Evil and Austin Powers could return for a proper sequel, rather than cheesy advertisements.
Source: General Motors