The Hangover Part II an exotic location. That's all I know". In January 2010, Phillips dismissed rumors that Zac Efron would join the cast of "The Hangover 2", though Ed Helms stated that Efron would be a welcomed addition, commenting, "I love that guy. He's actually really funny". In March 2010, Phillips denied reports that the film would take place in Mexico or Thailand stating, "I don't know. There's a lot of rumors. There was rumor also that it was going to Mexico or something and neither are true". Also by March, Galifianakis, Helms, Bradley Cooper, and Justin Bartha completed negotiations and signed deals
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