Austin Powers Dismembered

Austin Powers already has his hands full saving the world from the fiendish machinations of Dr Evil, but now a pair of even greater foes has arisen to thwart the buck-toothed super spy. United Artists and MGM have officially protested the third Austin Powers film's use of the title Goldmember, which parodies the studios' 1964 film Goldfinger. Having absolutely no sense of humour when it comes to the hallowed Bond franchise, MGM and UA's ruffled feathers led to the MPAA ruling the title ' inadmissable' and causing all posters and trailers bearing the title to be withdrawn. "MGM/UA and Danjaq have a zero-tolerance policy towards anyone who tries to trade in on the James Bond franchise without authorization," a spokesperson for MGM told Variety. New Line, the studio behind Powers, insists this is only a temporary hiccup and that the situation arose from a 'procedural infraction' that is currently being resolved. Indeed, MGM and United Artists also put on a grumpy face when the last film took the title The Spy Who Shagged Me, but New Line's counter suit saw the title greenlighted regardless. This time, however, the studio failed to go through proper channels with its counter and has, for the time being, had to re-title the latest instalment. "We are currently in the arbitration process and trying to resolve this matter under the MPAA guidelines," said a spokesman for New Line. "Until that time, we will be referring to the film as The Third Instalment of Austin Powers." Snappy title.