Mike Myers was legally obligated to star in this film. In 1998, Myers signed a two-picture deal with Universal and Imagine Entertainment to write and star in a big-screen adaption of his Dieter character from "SNL" titled "Sprockets." Myers was to be paid $21.5 million for his efforts ($1.5 million for the script which he was already paid but ended up returning; $20 million for his acting). He was originally going to be paid $10 million, but the success of Austin Powers - La spia che ci provava (1999), however, hiked up the comic's salary. In June 2000, during pre-production, the writer-actor announced that he wasn't happy with the script, and refused to move forward as he simply needed two more months' writing time (he already wrote 14 drafts of the film over two years). But Universal (banking on "Sprockets" as its summer 2001 tentpole) and producer Imagine Entertainment saw it as a breach of contract - Universal filed for $3.8 million to recoup preproduction costs; the Imagine suit demanded $30 million and called Myers "egomaniacal," "irresponsible," and "selfish." Myers countersued for $20 million for fraud, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and defamation, also stating he had been "emotionally traumatized" by the studio's "thug-like, outrageous, and reckless conduct." Representatives from DreamWorks ultimately helped negotiate an out-of-court settlement between Myers, Universal, and Imagine, with Myers agreeing to do a film for Universal and Imagine in place of "Sprockets"... this film.

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