UPDATED: 'The Hangover Part III' taps a writer

Posted Wednesday, June 1, 2011 at 5:05 PM Central
Last updated Friday, June 3, 2011 at 11:51 AM Central

by John Couture

According to The Wrap, Warner Bros. has hired Craig Mazin to script a third installment of the popular Hangover franchise. Mazin co-wrote The Hangover Part II with Scot Armstrong.

After opening at the box office with over $137 million in its first five days of release, this news really shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. Hollywood has evolved from a fertile wonderland of original ideas to a vast, well-oiled profit machine in which every sequel is milked until there is no more money to be made.

If you haven't yet seen The Hangover Part II, I would stop here and go elsewhere because the rest of the article will include heavy spoilers from the second movie. You have been warned.

The first movie was a shocking rebirth of the adult R-rated comedy, which was a refreshing move by itself. The sequel played by the rules and ramped up the raunchiness to such a level that the idea of a third movie (which by necessity has to be even more raunchier than the second one) blows my mind.

Seriously, how do you top Thai hermaphrodite strippers and still remain somewhat in the realm of good taste so as to not offend your core audience? What simulated sexual acts can possibly surpass seeing a monkey lick a man's penis?

I'm glad you asked because I've compiled a few things that you're almost certain to see in "The Hangover Part III" when it comes out in 2013 (purely a guess at this point). If you're reading Craig, feel free to take notes.

A Wedding

While a wedding isn't a necessary prerequisite for someone to spend all night drinking and waking up with a hangover, the previous movies have made it quite clear that a wedding will be the driving force of the plot. I guess it is possible that they would throw in a curve ball and move away from a wedding altogether since Stu, Phil and Doug are all married, but then what would be the urgency in moving the plot forward in the expected pace necessary to make The Hangover work?

Barring any unforeseen divorces (although, it would be bold and shocking for them to explore Stu's new found passion for men and the wedding for Part III to be a same-sex union between Stu and another man), that leaves only Alan as the lone unmarried member of the wolf pack. I guess Teddy could be a possibility, but I just don't see that coming into play.

Besides, there's comic gold to mine before the whole "lost night" sequence in the relationship between Alan and whatever his bride would turn out to be. Given that Alan was the one who drugged them the first two times, this also allows for a great reversal where Stu gets his payback by drugging Alan (or intending to), but accidentally drugs everyone.

Mr. Chow Returns

The last time we saw Mr. Chow, he was being led away in handcuffs as part of an Interpol sting/arrest. While his incarceration would seemingly indicate that Ken Jeong won't be returning for Part III, I don't see how you could have a Part III without him.

His comic moments have been a revelation to the first two films and he was one of the more hilarious contributors to Part II. Heck, at this point, I consider him to be more a member of the wolf pack than Doug who has yet to spend a couple of days trying to get his memory back.

If the wedding is indeed Alan's and given his close relationship with Mr. Chow, I could totally see a sub-plot that involves them breaking Mr. Chow out of prison. This story could also require more screen time for the criminally underused Paul Giamatti who barely factored into The Hangover Part II. If this was a pre-planned trilogy, his casting in that role would have screamed set up for a bigger part in Part III for sure.

Exotic Animal Sidekick

In the first movie Mike Tyson's tiger plays a pivotal role while in Part II, a smoking monkey steals the scenes that he's in. The monkey also took on the double role of the adorable sidekick that baby Carlos (Tyler) played in the first film.

In the next installment expect another bizarre animal to play a large supporting role. It's hard to speculate on this one given a lack of locale but I think it's fair to say that it will be something worth its weight in comic gold.

Hip, Party Locale

First it was Vegas and then it was Bangkok, so where do you go from here? It's hard to tell because if the wolf pack were pot smokers, Amsterdam would be the logical next stop.

They've done the international thing, so I'm willing to bet that third movie returns a little closer to home. While I won't completely discount a return to Vegas, I think they'll opt for another site of opulence. Of course, I can't think of any off the top of my head that would be a good stand-in for Vegas.

If the whole Tijuana vibe wasn't played to death in the 1980s, I would think that Mexico would be a good bet, and who knows maybe it could be.

More Vulgarity

I don't know how you top Thai hermaphrodite strippers/prostitutes, but Stu will find a way. I'm sure the demon inside of him will find a way to break out once more and this time it will be over the top.

Tying in with the Tijuana theme, I could see the boys (and Stu in particular) partaking in a donkey show. I'm not talking about a reversal of roles "tame" version that Kevin Smith showed in Clerks II either. I'm talking about a full-on bestiality laden show that will scar not only your retinas, but those of your unborn children.

I could probably go on, but I think you get the point. What plot points do you want to add to The Hangover Part III?

Rio?

I got this email today and I thought they nailed it on the head.

I think New Orleans during Mardi Gras would be the perfect "close to home" setting for Hangover III. The debauchery options are limitless! Everything goes at Mardi Gras.

A great overseas option would be Brazil. Carnival is an amazing party and where better to forget the events of one night than Rio de Janero?

New Orleans or Rio. Those are my two picks anyway. It doesn't hurt to have the monstrous, city-wide party going on either. The door opens pretty wide for accidental drugging, exotic animals, and general raunchiness! --Sabrina, Talent, OR

I think Sabrina is on the right track, I could totally see New Orleans for a domestic setting or Rio for an International setting. Also, I think that if it's Alan wedding then the Jonas brothers will have to show up in some form or fashion.

Of course, I'm not so sure that Disney would allow them to affiliated with an R-rated raunchy fest, but one can dream. Or rather, Alan can dream.