The 1992 classic Wayne's World is among the best films based on a Saturday Night Live sketch, but Mike Myers' script rewrites actually made Dana Carvey quit the movie before shooting. Wayne's World follows best friends Wayne Campbell, played by Mike Myers and Garth Algar, played by Dana Carvey, as they deal with the harsh realities of corporate influence over art. The film was applauded for its breaches of the fourth wall, absurdist meta-humor and the surprising intelligence lurking underneath a stoner comedy veneer.
Many consider Wayne's World the best Saturday Night Live movie, and its decades of persistent popularity are evidence of its cultural value. Of course, it didn't take long for Wayne's World 2 to get a greenlight and the sequel arrived the very next year in 1993. While the follow-up received more mixed reviews and only made a portion of the original's tally, it's still well-regarded now. While Myers and Carvey have reprised their respective roles for occasional skits over the years, Wayne's World 3 never happened.
Myers is credited with writing the Wayne's World screenplay, alongside husband-and-wife team Bonnie and Terry Turner, but Carvey also added to the script for his character, Garth. However, in 2019 Carvey revealed during a Howard Stern interview that he found his additions to the script were constantly being removed by Myers. While Carvey always saw Garth as a sidekick, he felt the screenplay left him with“... nothing to do in the movie” so he quit stoner comedy Wayne's World only three weeks before shooting. Carvey also stated that nobody actually believed he had quit when he left.
It's unknown how he was convinced otherwise, but Carvey eventually returned to Wayne's World after quitting and became one of the funniest parts of the film. The focus is largely on Myers' Wayne in the final movie, but Carvey is undeniably a major reason the movie works so well. It's a shame to hear Myers wasn't more generous with his co-star's writing contributions during development, to the point where Carvey was happier walking than having nothing of substance to do. Myers also clashed with director Penelope Spheeris many times during filming and reportedly played a role in making sure she wasn't re-hired for Wayne's World 2.
Despite such a reputation, Myers has had a significant career. From Mike Myers' brilliant cameo in Bohemian Rhapsody to his slightly less acclaimed role in the Love Guru to his iconic turn as Shrek, the actor has been influential on contemporary culture. Thankfully, he and Carvey have since reconciled their differences since making the Wayne's World duology. Given the successful return of similar properties to Wayne's World in recent years - like Bill & Ted Face The Music - it's possible viewers haven't seen the last of Wayne and Garth on the big screen.