Dr Evil first appeared in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, the 1997 comedy film in which Mike Myers played both the hero and his nemesis. The character, a parody of classic Bond villains, became one of the franchise's most quoted figures as the sequels followed in 1999 and 2002. Clips of his speeches have circulated for years as reaction audio on video platforms and soundboards, where his exaggerated villainy is easy to recognise even without the visuals. He remains a shorthand for cartoonish evil plans and mock-serious scheming.