Crocodile Dundee: Who Plays Mick Dundee & What Movies Has He Made Lately?

It has been nearly 30 years since the original "Crocodile Dundee" hit the scene, introduced the titular survivalist to mass audiences, and gave many viewers a decidedly stilted conception of what the Australian Outback is actually like. After spawning a pair of sequels, the action-packed comedy franchise has mostly lain dormant since 2001 — but that hasn't stopped Mick "Crocodile" Dundee from having an enduring legacy as one of the most colorful and quotable pop culture characters out there.

Some of those with fond memories of "Crocodile Dundee" may be curious about what his actor, the storied comedian Paul Hogan, has been getting up to as of late and whether he has been making any additional movies recently. As it turns out, Hogan has had a few projects in recent years, and one of them even sports a comedic link to his time as Dundee. Here's an overview of Hogan's recent film efforts.

Funnily enough, each of the major film projects that Paul Hogan has been attached to over the last few years all feature him portraying himself, rather than a fictional character. Such is the case in Dean Murphy's 2018 comedy flick "That's Not My Dog!" which features Hogan among a gaggle of other legendary comedians from Australia. The film has a basic premise in which "Kenny" actor Shane Jacobson throws a party and invites Hogan and the other comedians to tell their best joke.

The film is actually an on-screen reunion of sorts for Jacobson and Hogan, who are good friends in real life. The two previously worked together on the 2009 comedy "Charlie & Boots," in which they play the titular father-son duo. Speaking of Jacobson in an episode of 60 Minutes Australia documenting the production of "Charlie & Boots," Hogan said: "The magic of this guy [...] he laughs. He never stops laughing."

Despite what the name may suggest, Dean Murphy's "The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee" is not a sequel to the "Crocodile Dundee" films — at least, not in the traditional sense. The movie once again stars Paul Hogan as a semi-fictionalized version of himself, who embarks on a wacky caper just before he's scheduled to be knighted. The movie is stuffed with references to Hogan's past roles and credits, especially "Crocodile Dundee." There's even a scene in which a couple of film executives attempt to pitch a new "Crocodile Dundee" movie to Hogan to great comedic effect.

In an interview with Forbes, Hogan spoke about how Murphy convinced him to come out of retirement to star in the flick. "I think Dean is a very talented writer and director," the actor said. "He came up with the idea. I trusted him to do it. That was important and, of course, the fact that it was about me, so I had to be in it. I mean, I'm a wreck nowadays, but that didn't matter. When he comes to me with something, I'm glad, but I'm not looking for anything. I'm quite lazy."

While Paul Hogan and Dean Murphy gave a few jokes regarding the possibility of a fourth "Crocodile Dundee" movie in "The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee," the question of whether Hogan would return to his most iconic role in a new movie has nevertheless persisted in the years since. Despite how long it's been at this point, there are plenty of other '80s movies getting sequels and revivals. Could it actually happen?

To put it bluntly, probably not. Hogan has considered himself a retired actor for over two entire decades at this point. His recent movie credits have only come about as a result of his friendship with Murphy. "My friend, Dean Murphy, keeps dragging me out of retirement to stick me in something," Hogan explained to Forbes. "I love his sense of humor. It's a nice laid-back style."

To top it off, Hogan also gave a fairly definitive "no" when directly asked about the prospect of returning to "Crocodile Dundee." "No, it's over. It happened," he said. "It was a huge success, and I'm thrilled and proud of it. I was actually quite prepared to retire after doing the last one, to be honest. What am I going to do now? Get around the place with a walker in a retirement village? It's done."