The Hangover Part II did not have the full support of my entire cast and crew." Liam Neeson replaced Gibson after being invited by Cooper, who worked with Neeson on "The A-Team", to take the part. Neeson, a fan of the first film stated, "I just got a call to do a one-day shoot on 'Hangover 2' as a tattooist in Thailand, and that's all I know about it". Gibson was reportedly furious over the decision. A source close to Gibson stated, "He doesn't understand why Mike Tyson, a drug user who turned his life around, was given a chance while Mel was kicked
The Hangover Part II for a worldwide gross of $586.8 million, against a budget of $80 million. In its opening weekend, it earned $177.8 million, which was the highest-grossing worldwide opening for a comedy film, taking the record from "The Simpsons Movie" ($170.9 million). On the weekend of June 17–19, 2011, it out-grossed its predecessor in worldwide earnings to become the highest-grossing R-rated comedy of all time. The film was released on Thursday, May 26, 2011, in North America, coinciding with the U.S. Memorial Day weekend. During launch midnight showings in 2,600 theaters, the film earned $10.4 million, breaking the record for the biggest