Bond film makers attack 'Goldmember' spy spoof

The latest Austin Powers movie may have to be renamed after the makers of James Bond films complained that it sounded too similar to one of 007's adventures.

MGM protested to the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) that the title of Mike Myers' third spy spoof, Goldmember, was too close to the 1964 classic Goldfinger.

After the MPAA ruled that Austin Powers' producers, New Line Cinema, had not followed industry guidelines on marketing and had rushed out promotional material, thousands of posters and trailers have been withdrawn from cinemas in Britain and the US.

MGM was thought to have been particularly irritated at a trailer that showed Mr Myers's Fat Bastard character painted in sparkling gold, the trademark of the Goldfinger film.

The third Austin Powers film, which stars Michael Caine as the spy's father, Nigel, and Heather Graham as Powers' girlfriend, Felicity Shagwell, is due out this summer. New Line said yesterday it still hoped to use the name Goldmember and was in arbitration with MGM.