The Hangover Part II and earlier comments made by Phillips denying such reports were a deliberate case of misdirection. The following month, Bradley Cooper stated he believed the rumors to be true and was looking forward to filming "The Hangover 2" in Thailand. In October 2010, Phillips confirmed that the film would take place in Bangkok and Los Angeles and that Galifianakis, Cooper, Helms and Ken Jeong would be returning. On a budget of $80 million, principal photography began on October 8, 2010, in Ontario, California with the first images of production being released a few days later. It was also reported in October
The Hangover Part II based on 233 reviews with an average rating of 4.9/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "A crueler, darker, raunchier carbon copy of the first installment, "The Hangover Part II" lacks the element of surprise—and most of the joy—that helped make the original a hit." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 44 out of 100 based on 40 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A–" on an A+ to F scale. Andrew Barker of "Variety" gave the film a negative review, stating, "The stock dismissal 'more of the