The Austin Powers cast has made a comeback, with many original stars reprising their roles—not for a new film, but for a Verizon advertisement. Creator Mike Myers rose to fame with the British spy from the 1960s, and while some antics were controversial, he became a Hollywood giant.
Mike Myers Returns as Dr Evil
Mike Myers is already celebrating the release of Shrek 5, but before that, he slipped back into his legendary role as Dr Evil for the ad. The cast reunited for the US phone company Verizon, which sponsors this year's World Cup.
Cast Members in the Ad
- Seth Green as Dr Evil's young son Scott
- Rob Lowe as Number 2
- Mindy Sterling as Frau Farbissina
- Jay Roach, original director, returned to direct
Plot of the Ad
The story revolves around Dr Evil planning another scheme to end the world. He suggests setting up a new phone company called Menace Mobile, with confusing and expensive plans. His henchmen admit they are already with Verizon on their Simplicity Plan. An irate Dr Evil presses a button to “kill them all.”
Myers' Statement
Myers said: “Any time I get to be Dr Evil is a fun time. Especially when I get to play with that incredibly talented cast. Verizon brought a really clever approach to launching the Simplicity Plan. It turns out, putting a stop to complicated phone plans is the one thing Dr Evil’s crew can actually agree on.”
Legacy of Austin Powers
The Austin Powers spy film series dominated the box office when it first landed in 1997. Two more films were released in 1999 and 2002, but no new instalments have come since. The franchise featured cameos from Liz Hurley, Michael Caine, Verne Troyer as Mini-Me, and Beyoncé.
Myers has previously said he would “love” to bring the film series back to cinemas.
