Hollywood, like any other industry, was built on relationships and reputations. So any reports or allegations of on-set clashes, toxic environments or full-blown fights can lead to rampant speculation and poor reputations that follow a person for decades. Wayne’s World director Penelope Spheeris can attest to that. Years after being the subject of on-set clashes with Mike Myers, Spheeris finally addressed those long-standing rumors about the classic comedy.
Upon its release in 1992, Wayne’s World became an unexpected hit for Spheeris, Myers and Dana Carvey. But not returning for Wayne’s World 2 led to fans and the media speculating Spheeris and Myers had difficulties working together on the cult classic. After years of gossip, THR gave the director the room to clear the air about not returning for the sequel. She said:
I am going to break the myth right now. When we were shooting Wayne’s World, there really were no clashes with the actors. The reason people think that is I wasn’t able to direct Wayne’s World 2 because I didn’t want to make any cuts to the first one that they asked me to do. And that was the only point of contention that we had, honestly.
So the rumors about her and Mike Myers clashing weren’t true. Penelope Spheeris actually had a good relationship with Myers, Dana Carvey and the rest of the cast. Making cuts to a film can be hard for directors to do, especially if they have a distinct vision for the final product. But oftentimes, the stars and the filmmaker have different visions. The only real clash was Mike Myers’ hatred for the iconic “Bohemian Rhapsody” scene, which was due to the constant head-banging. In any case, the pieces just didn’t fall into place for Spheeris to retuen for the Wayne’s World sequel.
Not returning for the follow-up may have been in Penelope Spheeris’ best interest. Stephen Surjik took over as the director for Wayne’s World 2, which was released in 1993. It garnered a mixed reception and grossed only $72 million at the box office. Its reception marked a sharp drop, as the first film earned over $183 million worldwide and received critical acclaim for its characters and outlandish humor. For the sequel, Myers had to completely rewrite the second film’s script after a tongue lashing from former Paramount chief Sherry Lansing.
Of course, the original Wayne’s World has continued to live on pop culture, with many lines and scenes being referenced every day, especially after Myers and Dana Carvey’s 2021 Super Bowl ad. To hear “we’re not worthy” for the millionth time, you can subscribe to Amazon Prime, and after that, you check out other awesome movies on Amazon Prime. Those of you in the mood for a Wayne’s World 2 rewatch can sign up for Paramount+ to access it.