Myers Slapped With Second Lawsuit

L O S   A N G E L E S, July 7 -- Egomania led Austin Powers star MikeMyers to renege on an agreement to write, produce and star in amovie based on a Saturday Night Live skit, ImagineEntertainment alleged in a lawsuit filed Thursday.

The Superior Court lawsuit seeks more than $30 million in actualdamages plus punitive damages, The Hollywood Reporter reported.

The action comes a month after Universal Pictures sued Myers for$3.8 million plus lost profits over the same movie, which Myersbacked away from, saying the script needed work.

Screenplay Confusion

“He claimed he had not approved the screenplay. Who wrote thescreenplay—Myers,” the Imagine lawsuit stated.

Imagine claims Myers backed out after it and Universal agreed tohis demands for more pay and millions of dollars were spent inpreproduction.

“This was not the first time Myers engaged in such conduct,”the suit contends. “He has followed a pattern and practice ofbreaking his promises, betraying the trust of others and causingserious damage to those with whom he deals through selfish,egomaniacal and irresponsible conduct.”

Myers could not be reached for comment Thursday evening, butnegotiations—helped along by director Steven Spielberg—havebeen going on between Myers and Universal in an effort to reach asettlement in the June lawsuit.

The script in question is based on popular Saturday NightLive skits in which Myers portrayed Dieter, the slick-hairedGerman host of the techno-pop dance show Sprockets.

The movie had been slated to begin shooting in August with aJune 2001 release. Will Ferrell and David Hasselhoff had beensigned to appear.