Liam Neeson Scene Will Have “Gravity”; Phillips Still Working On John Belushi Biopic With Zach Galifianakis In Mind
“The Hangover 2” quickly went from highly anticipated sequel shooting somewhat under the radar to a picture that now has a neverending stream of news coming out about the film. You would think Edward and Bella were in this thing, but we suppose that’s what happens when you attempt to cast Mel Gibson in an ill-advised cameo. Combine that with press rounds for “Due Date” happening shortly after all of this broke and you have the perfect storm, so consider this a wrap up of the news of all things Todd Phillips-related in the past 48 hours or so.
While the cast apparently had a mini-revolt causing Phillips to ditch Gibson, the director has spoken out about the controversy, turning it into a weird case of semantics. “No one was ever fired,” Phillips said during press for “Due Date.” “It’s a term that is so obscene to me.”
He goes on to elaborate saying, “Someone was doing me a favor to come in for a two-minute cameo, and we changed it. It wasn’t like we fired somebody. [Gibson] was just doing a favor from the beginning.” Of all the things in world for the raunchy minded Phillips to feel obscene about, this is a strange one, but call it what you will, Gibson won’t be stepping on the set of “The Hangover 2.”
However, one person who wouldn’t have minded working the exiled Gibson is the very example brought up by many to point out the hypocrisy of dumping the actor. Convicted rapist, former boxer and Phil Collins fan Mike Tyson is returning to the sequel and says he would’ve worked with him “100%” adding, “I’m not going to ever in my life point my finger at anyone. I don’t live in a glass house. None of us do. I work with anybody, as long as they’re respectful.”
But as for the part itself, now being taken over by Liam Neeson, Phillips reveals that it might not be the comic highlight of the film everyone seems to think it will be saying, “The scene is not maybe what you’d expect in ‘The Hangover.’ ‘The Hangover 2’ will be an epic comedy, but not every scene, just like the first one, is full of comedy. This had a little bit of gravity to it and I thought that both guys really could add that gravity and that is where were at.” So don’t expect Neeson to be zinging hilarious non sequiturs left and right.
And speaking of cameos, Juliette Lewis is to set to reprise her role from “Old School” as Heidi, the nymphomaniac ex-wife of Luke Wilson‘s Mitch Martin, in “Due Date.” Phillips says, “She now has two kids. Are they Will Ferrell‘s kids? They might be. I don’t know. [Laughs] We’ll have to wait and see. That scene just created itself in a weird way. I just show up on the set—I’m usually high first thing in the morning—and we just kind of figure it out.” Also popping up in the film will be Phillips’ creepy character Barry; you might remember him as the guy who rang Heidi’s doorbell and inquired about the gangbang.
Finally, as if this isn’t enough, Phillips is also looking to the future, especially in regards to his gestating biopic of comedian John Belushi. Even though Zach Galifianakis, long thought to be a lock for the part, expressed disinterest in the film last month, Phillips is still developing the project with the actor in mind, adding that he hasn’t had a chance to talk with the actor yet and that it’s still in “nascent stages.” They might want to have a talk to make sure they are on the same page.
So that’s all that’s happening in Phillips’ world right now. His next film, “Due Date,” arrive in theaters next Friday, November 5th.