The Who’s Keith Moon in Myers’ sight for Pete Townshend-produced biopic
By Tom Wright
HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 5/19/07 — Actor Mike Myers is swinging for unprecedented back-to-back grand slams with fourth installments on both the smash Austin Powers and Shrek film series. Buoyed by opening day receipts for “Shrek the Third” of $38 million Myers sits in the midst of two huge franchises and isn’t letting either one go.
Myers’ 60s spy spoof Austin Powers will find him focusing on fricken Dr. Evil which he plays in addition to Powers and other characters. “We are developing a fourth Austin Power film written entirely from Dr. Evil’s point of view,” Myers told Hollywood Today.
He’s also going to be re-knighted with co-stars Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas and Eddie Murphy for “Shrek 4.” Director Mike Mitchell (“Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo”) is at the helm for DreamWorks, with Josh Klausner and Tim Sullivan writing the script. “We been thinking what a fourth film would look like, while we were making this film. They are tireless in their pursuit of quality of the characters, the animation and the story.”
“I feel like a caretaker of something that these really great film makers have made,” Myers said.
Yet he’s not sitting on his sequels and has two other films coming up that are capturing the imagination of fans.
One is about fabled drummer Keith Moon of The Who, granddaddy of all bad-boy rock stars. Myers said he was drawn into the film by Moon’s own bandmate, singer Roger Daltrey. “Five years ago I got a call from Rodger Daltrey they were developing the Keith Moon movie and we would love you to play Keith,” said Myers. “So I have been developing a film which has been written by Donald Margulies. It’s an amazing script.”
Moon died in 1978 of overdosing of prescription drugs he was using to wean himself off alcohol.
The film, dubbed “See Me, Feel Me: Keith Moon Naked for your Pleasure” is being produced by Who guitarist/songwriter Pete Townshend, who is no stranger to film. The British Invasion band has been involved in dozens of soundtracks as well as features “Tommy” and “Quadrophenia.” and
“Casting will start in two months,” Myers said. Tim Roth has been rumored for Townshend’s role, though Myers did not say. “It’s going to be directed by Marco Schnabel,” he said, adding “We have a long list of drummers. Even my brother is a great drummer
Myers said he would make one other film before “Moon,” titled “Love Guru.” Myers said “’Love Guru’ is about a Canadian boy who is left at an Ashram in India, grows up and becomes a Guru and is hired by the Toronto Maple leafs to help win the Stanley Cup.”
“I’m getting ready to film it this August. It’s been two years in writing and doing it.”
Myers won’t be slowing down anytime soon. He loves making all these films and said he works “9-5” writing and spends an average of 16 months working on a film “It’s so satisfying to me and I really appreciate that I get to create and write movies.” .
