Mike Myers Ratchets Up For 'Sprockets'

By JOAL RYAN

Mike Myers' password to Hollywood's $20 million club? Austin Powers.

The comic's super-spy alter ego--he of the furry chest and big-grossing gross-out sequel--officially has moved the ex-Saturday Night Live star into Jim Carrey's neighborhood.

Myers is about to sign a deal with Ron Howard's Imagine Entertainment that could pay him $40 million for two movies, including one based on his German-accented SNL sketch, Sprockets, Daily Variety says.

"I'm proud to be the guy who gets to pay him the big dollars," Imagine chairman Brian Grazer tells the trade paper.

The Sprockets part of the deal is a lock--Myers has been working on the script since last year. In addition to his writing fees, he'll get the magic $20 million to star. And for that he has Austin Powers to thank.

A year ago when the Sprockets project first was announced, Myers was said to be in line for a $10 million pay day. Then came Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. Through last weekend, the summer comedy had taken just shy of $200 million at the box office.

With his new clout, Myers can pocket yet another $20 million from Imagine for a second, as-yet undisclosed film.

In Sprockets, look for the funnyman to don a black turtleneck as Dieter, the avant-garde, Euro-style talk-show host. According to Variety, the movie will revolve around Dieter's search for his beloved (and kidnapped) monkey.

August 12, 1999

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