It may be the most notorious movie cameo this century. Well, at least for all the well known actors who have shot it only to not make the final cut.
Director Todd Phillips first wanted to hire Mel Gibson for the role of a tattoo artist who the heroes of the film have to track down during their Thailand adventure in “The Hangover, Part II.” That didn’t go over well with some of the franchise’s stars so Phillips reluctantly dropped Gibson and shot the cameo with Neeson instead. Now, less than two months before the sequel explodes at the box office, it turns out Neeson won’t appear in the expected blockbuster after all.
According to TMZ, Neeson’s busy schedule shooting “Wrath of the Titans” precluded him from re-shooting the cameo and Phillips had to recast. Director and sometimes actor Nick Cassavetes stepped in and barring any cuts, “should” still appear in the film. Neeson’s shooting schedule must be very tight because “Wrath” and “Hangover” are both being produced by Warner Bros. who no doubt would want to make the reshoot happen.
Cassavetes has appeared in films such as “Face/Off,” “Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle” and “The Astronaut’s Wife.” He’s better known for directing films such as “John Q,” “The Notebook,” “Alpha Dog” and “My Sister’s Keeper.” His new dramedy “Yellow” with Ben Foster, Hank Azaria and Sienna Miller is expected sometime in 2012.
Neeson’s “Wrath of the Titans,” a sequel to 2010’s “The Clash of the Titans,” will be released on March 30, 2012.
“The Hangover, Part II” opens nationwide on May 26.