Mike Myers confirms 'Austin Powers 4' is happening, says "yes" without hesitation

Actor-comedian Mike Myers has once again sparked excitement among fans by confirming that a fourth installment of the popular 'Austin Powers' franchise is in the works, according to People.

Actor-comedian Mike Myers has once again sparked excitement among fans by confirming that a fourth instalment of the popular 'Austin Powers' franchise is in the works, according to People. The 63-year-old actor made the revelation during comedian Trevor Noah's FIFA World Cup livestream watch party for the France vs Senegal match, where he appeared alongside his 14-year-old son, Spike.

During the livestream, Noah took questions from viewers through YouTube's chat feature and asked Myers directly, "Chat wants to know -- are we ever going to see an Austin Powers 4?" "Yes," Myers replied immediately.

Reacting to the swift response, Noah said, "Wow. That was a quick yes." The interaction quickly caught the attention of fans, many of whom have been waiting for a new installment in the spy-comedy franchise for more than two decades.

Later in the livestream, Noah brought up another viewer comment suggesting that Spike could play "the next Austin Powers Jr." "That could be cool," Noah said.

"Yeah, mini Austin," Spike responded. He added, "I saw someone on Reddit, there was a photo of me, one time I looked, and it was like 'Yeah, it seems Mike has his own mini-me now.' I laughed, it was funny." However, Spike made it clear that acting may not be on the cards for him just yet.

"I actually almost failed my theater class recently," he joked. Myers famously portrayed the eccentric British spy Austin Powers in three films released between 1997 and 2002. The franchise, which parodied classic 1960s spy movies, also featured Myers in the role of arch-villain Dr. Evil, according to People.

The most recent film, 'Austin Powers in Goldmember' (2002), starred Beyonce, Michael Caine, Seth Green and Verne Troyer, and featured cameos from Tom Cruise, Danny DeVito, Gwyneth Paltrow, Steven Spielberg, Quincy Jones, John Travolta and Britney Spears. The actor has been discussing the possibility of a fourth film for years. In a 2005 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Myers said he was "circling and talking" with the studio behind the franchise. Two years later, he told IGN that there was "a fully conceived idea for a fourth" movie that would be told from Dr. Evil's perspective.

In a 2022 interview with SiriusXM's Jess Cagle, Myers remained evasive about the project, saying, "I can neither confirm nor deny the existence or non-existence of such a project, should it exist or not exist," while admitting that he "would love to" return to the franchise, according to People. He also expressed enthusiasm about the series' future during the 49th AFI Lifetime Achievement Awards in 2024. When asked whether the franchise still had more stories to tell, Myers responded, "Absolutely."

While details about the plot and cast of a potential fourth film remain under wraps, Myers' latest confirmation is the strongest indication yet that Austin Powers is preparing for another mission, Myers was most recently seen portraying former CBS Records executive Walter Yetnikoff in the Michael Jackson biopic. He is also set to reprise his iconic voice role as Shrek in 'Shrek 5', which is scheduled for release in June 2027. (ANI)