Comedic actor, Mike Myers, will play seven different characters in his upcoming Netflix series, The Pentaverate. It’s been over a decade since Myers has had a starring role in anything, aside from his short tenure as host of The Gong Show for two seasons. Myers has also made brief appearances in Bohemian Rhapsody, Terminal and Inglourious Basterds, but to date, his career bares little to no resemblance to what it was throughout the 1990s.
After getting his start as a standout on SNL, Meyers quickly found traction with the Wayne’s World sketch that he and fellow comedian, Dana Carvey, had created. The two loveably idiotic metalhead characters, Wayne Campbell (Myers) and Garth Algar (Carvey), were responsible for the sort of sarcastic humor that became a hallmark of '90s era comedy, complete with several highly popular catchphrases. In time, however, Myers graduated from Wayne’s World’s brand of comedy, ultimately striking gold with the Austin Powers franchise, in which he typically played numerous different roles in addition to that of Powers. To this day, fans of the spoof espionage films continue to await the rumored arrival of Austin Powers 4.
While it’s hard to say when, if ever, there will be another Austin Powers film, recent Myers news from Collider is sure to be met by fans with excitement. Though still in its very early stages, what’s known about Myers’ new project is that it is a six episode limited series called The Pentaverate, and it will release on Netflix. The new series will focus on a group of five men who have been controlling the world ever since the Black Plague of 1347, with a lone journalist threatening to expose their long-running secret. Myers is onboard in a big way, playing seven different characters. The program’s official synopsis reads as follows:
What if a secret society of five men has been working to influence world events for the greater good since the Black Plague of 1347? As this new series begins, one unlikely Canadian journalist finds himself embroiled in a mission to uncover the truth and just possibly save the world himself. Remember, the Pentaverate must never be exposed!
For anyone who has previously grown tired of Myers’ insistence on playing several characters at once and was instead hoping to see a new side of the comedian, The Pentaverate doesn’t sound like the answer. Myers seems content to continue to do what he’s always done and it’s hard to say if the multi-role angle can still work for him in 2021. As a matter of fact, not only does The Pentaverate continue where Myers left off in terms of his character acting, but its title also borrows from a joke in 1993’s So I Married An Axe Murderer. That film, which saw Myers play the lead role of Charlie Mackenzie as well as his eccentric Scottish father, Stuart, has a brief moment in it where Stuart explains The Pentaverate – a secret society of the five wealthiest people in the world. Among its members are the Queen of England and fried chicken magnate, Colonel Sanders.
If Myers can pull off something special with The Pentaverate, it will be the first time in a very long time that his numerous characters schtick has captivated audiences. It’s possible that Myers is long due for a comeback of sorts, and perhaps a new generation can find something engaging in his comedy. That being said, comedy, unlike so many other things in life, isn’t cyclical. Comedic styles need to evolve in order to thrive. If Myers hasn’t learned this, then it’s hard to see The Pentaverate succeeding.
Source: Collider