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 III 197 reviews and an average rating of 4.1/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Less a comedy than an angrily dark action thriller, "The Hangover Part III" diverges from the series' rote formula but offers nothing compelling in its place." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 30 out of 100 based on 37 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale. Describing the film's negative reception, "Variety" speculated that the series had become critic-proof. Andrew Barker of "Variety" gave the film a negative review,