BIGGEST MEMORIAL WEEKEND B.O. EVER! ‘Hangover Part 2′ Shatters Comedy Records For $138M Domestic/194M Worldwide Total; ‘Kung Fu Panda 2′ Kicks Up $123M Global; ‘Pirates 4′ Sails Past $640M Cume In 12 Days

COMMENTS (273)

• don’t like thursday openings

  saw last night. was ok. of course it’s gonna be like the original… it has to be. 1 of us thought it was better than the 1st. 2 thought it wasn’t as good. started slow… picked up. eventually pretty fast paced. but honestly if it wasn’t for Ken Jeong this might have really stank. didn’t laugh out loud that much. more like a two hour smile, a few chuckles and one or two louder ha’s.

  not like bridesmaids… lmao for that one

  Comment by dman — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 10:32am PDT  Reply to this post

  • Ken Jeong did an amazing job. I was really expecting his character to be stale due to all his television appearances that seem hinged on that role. I really have a renewed respect for Dr. Jeong after this.

    Comment by Jeff Rosz — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 10:54am PDT  Reply to this post

  • You hit the nail on the head, Dman. A few chuckles and one or two louder ha’s. Overall an extremely disappointing movie except for Ken Jeong. Not like Bridesmaids for SURE. I should have kept my $13.50.

    Comment by Uknowit — Friday May 27, 2011 @ 11:57am PDT  Reply to this post

    • Yeah, I’m renting this on Redbox for a buck instead. I’m getting bad vibes from the reception critically and the marketing sucks.

      Comment by Alex — Saturday May 28, 2011 @ 10:17am PDT  Reply to this post

      • IS JDEPP MAGIC!! OH GOD !! I LOVE HIM!!!
        

        Comment by Solagne — Sunday May 29, 2011 @ 4:59pm PDT  Reply to this post

  • I didn’t see any movies this weekend, but here’s my take. I think one contributing reason Hangover 2 did so well is because BOTH of the NBA playoffs conference finals series ended unusually early (both were won in the 5th game of a best-of-seven series). As a result, this weekend there were no NBA playoff games broadcast in the late afternoon (on the west coast) and in prime time in the East. That made just about every guy who’s into sports have to find an out of house activity. These weren’t just a couple of basketball games — but huge NBA playoff games with big implications with the sport’s biggest stars (Lebron, Wade, Novitzki) performing at the highest level. With the other major sports on virtual hiatus (baseball’s long season is just starting, football is on strike, sorry hockey but your not at the same level as the other three) Hangover was the perfect alternative, and benefitted significantly.

    Comment by def — Saturday May 28, 2011 @ 11:40pm PDT  Reply to this post

    • IAWTP.

      Also: No NASCAR events (and to paraphrase def, Sorry Indy 500, you’re just not at the same level)

      Comment by Jason Todd — Sunday May 29, 2011 @ 12:58pm PDT  Reply to this post

      • Whoops. Actually the Sprint Cup is airing tonight. I thought that was going to be next week. Still, Weds – Sat are the dates that mattered.

        Comment by Jason Todd — Sunday May 29, 2011 @ 1:24pm PDT  Reply to this post

    • Nobody cares about NBA, but good try on the logic.

      Comment by josh — Sunday May 29, 2011 @ 3:54pm PDT  Reply to this post

      • Er, what? The Heat/Bull series just averaged over 10 million viewers per game, and this has so far been the most-watched NBA postseason of all time.

        Comment by Rich S. — Monday May 30, 2011 @ 10:09am PDT  Reply to this post

      • Why are you calling yourself a nobody.

        Comment by Hunhwhat?? — Monday May 30, 2011 @ 1:21pm PDT  Reply to this post

    • I say just turn the Stupid Box off and live life. I find most of everything on TV incredibly annoying and almost nothing that I can identify with. Which is a good thing…because I don’t want to identify with most of it! Bread & Circus Society where no one knows what is really happening in the world today. Sadly true.

      Comment by nickzane — Monday May 30, 2011 @ 9:52am PDT  Reply to this post

      • YES!!!

        Comment by T Haalstrom — Monday May 30, 2011 @ 2:33pm PDT  Reply to this post

  • Parents storm the theaters to amuse their little darlings don’t they!

    Comment by gg — Sunday May 29, 2011 @ 12:27pm PDT  Reply to this post

  • Watched the first one reluctantly and kept thinking to myself they made the whole movie up as they went along. If this is what people call a comedy…WOW! Horrible film. I can’t remember ever being so bored in my life than that hour and a half.

    Comment by nickzane — Monday May 30, 2011 @ 9:50am PDT  Reply to this post

  • Critics are right to give this movie a low rating… it’s not aimed at them. But that doesn’t matter because I thought the movie was hilarious. I needed a few hours of life-suspending comedy that would make me laugh out loud. I’d watch it again just to pay total attention to the little sh-t Zack was doing in the background. Good stuff.

    Comment by coleman — Monday May 30, 2011 @ 4:52pm PDT  Reply to this post

• Caught the midnight screening last night at century city. I was hoping it would compare to the original, it did not. Zack was great , but it was pretty underwhelming as a whole

  Comment by George — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 10:38am PDT  Reply to this post

• Once again critics hate it, audiences love it. Do critics actually like comedies? I know they liked Bridesmaids, but it always seems like the critics are way in reverse on comedies.

  Comment by brick — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 10:44am PDT  Reply to this post

  • The first movie has a 79% rating on rotten tomatoes. Some critics thought it should have snagged one of the 10 Best Picture slots.

    Comment by Ed — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 11:14am PDT  Reply to this post

  • crix loved hangover 1 and bridesmaids…

    Comment by dman — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 11:30am PDT  Reply to this post

  • Of course critics like comedies. Bridesmaids, The Hangover, Rio, anything by Pixar, Win Win, etc.

    Comment by Jacob — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 12:09pm PDT  Reply to this post

  • Critics generally liked The Hangover pt 1, it has a 79% on Rotten Tomatoes. Sequels don’t have to be a retread of the first film, which is exactly what this appears to be.

    Comment by Joey — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 12:32pm PDT  Reply to this post

    • It is exactly a retread. Very sad on Warner Bros. part. The characters were already established. They could have done SO MUCH MORE with this film.

      Comment by Uknowit — Friday May 27, 2011 @ 11:59am PDT  Reply to this post

  • Critics liked the first one. Most of the criticism this time is because the movie is too similar to the original.

    Comment by Lucas — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 12:37pm PDT  Reply to this post

    • It’s another Hangover, I don’t now what people where expecting. Not to say it could not have been better, but to say it is too much like the first is a bit silly and its also the primary reason the film has a 33% rating on rt.

      Comment by Anonymous — Monday May 30, 2011 @ 7:45am PDT  Reply to this post

  • It’s strange to me what the comedies that the critics do love — they are not funny and the ones that get the worst reviews seem to be the funniest. I didn’t think bridesmaids was that funny, hangover 2 was way funnier, I don’t remember what the critics thought of Just go with it, but that was laugh out loud funny. I know that critics hate romantic comedies, no matter how good they are. We need new critics! Glad there is cinemascore to see what real audiences think.

    Comment by jake — Sunday May 29, 2011 @ 6:03am PDT  Reply to this post

  • Critics like good comedies. This was just a lazy retread of the first film. Worth renting, but not worth plopping $13 to see in theatres.

    Comment by Anon E. Mouse — Sunday May 29, 2011 @ 12:03pm PDT  Reply to this post

  • “Night at The Opera” (Marx Bro’s) tends to be rated highly by critics, as one of the top movies of all time .. but I don’t think it is close to being one of their funniest .. at least it isn’t one of the ones that has you in tears laughing the whole time (e.g “Go West”).

    Comment by Bob — Monday May 30, 2011 @ 2:05pm PDT  Reply to this post

• College kids should make the weekend more than profitable. They won’t care what people are saying. it’s the “so-so” word of mouth that will take its toll. High expectations or not it just wasn’t a good movie.

  Comment by Underwhelmed — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 10:56am PDT  Reply to this post

  • “so-so word of mouth”? 94% of the 45,000 that have rated it on RT liked it with an average score of 4.6 out of 5. This is a case where the critics are simply wrong.

    Comment by Prax — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 11:50am PDT  Reply to this post

    • Um, have you ever mingled with the RT community?

      It’s teeming with idiots, bitter nerds, smug teens, and the lonely. They score without seeing the movie, just like on the IMDB.

      How could anyone take the community score seriously?

      Comment by Ryan S — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 7:55pm PDT  Reply to this post

    • Wrong? No, the critics got it right. It’s the public that has it wrong. Not a good movie. This is a situation where the mass public has already predestined that this film is great sight unseen. They have invested too much into creating the hype, they can’t renege when many realize it’s not great. It is similar to the religious nutjobs who declared the end of the world.

      Comment by Frank — Friday May 27, 2011 @ 2:46am PDT  Reply to this post

    • I’d like to introduce you to the concept of selection bias.

      Comment by jer — Friday May 27, 2011 @ 8:39am PDT  Reply to this post

    • They’re not wrong – I saw it last night. Really hard to overlook the beat-for-beat (literally every one) mimicking of the first one. There are definitely some laughs, but it was pretty stale overall.

      Comment by pdway — Friday May 27, 2011 @ 9:58am PDT  Reply to this post

    • No, it’s just not very good.

      Critics got it right. People are going because they liked the first one.

      Comment by working actor #274 — Saturday May 28, 2011 @ 3:13pm PDT  Reply to this post

• Critics are too intelligent to laugh.

  Comment by brett — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 10:56am PDT  Reply to this post

  • most critics are cynical @$$holes

    Comment by jerrykregle — Monday May 30, 2011 @ 5:21pm PDT  Reply to this post

• Thankful I was at a screening. If I would have paid for this, I’d be bothered. Todd Phillips needs to let other people do the writing (directing?). This was the exact same story as the 1st, minus the laughter. Almost nothing was laugh out out funny and what was took too long to get there. Darker and less amusing. Zach was doing everything possible to be funny but he simply wasn’t. This is a CASH GRAB, folks. I was very excited to see this until … I wasn’t.

  Comment by sad — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 10:57am PDT  Reply to this post

  • Well, he already let’s other people dictate casting decisions so you might be on to something here.

    Course, I understand THAT decision didn’t pan out so well and the suits have cringed a little over it. (Nice work, Zach. Any other suggestions??)

    Comment by Indrid Cold — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 1:36pm PDT  Reply to this post

    • At least Zach got the Mike Tyson casting correct. A convicted rapist definitely deserves more respect than Mel Gibson. Definitely.

      Comment by Yup — Saturday May 28, 2011 @ 3:33am PDT  Reply to this post

      • funny how many posters on this site take any opportunity to bring up mel gibson. there seem to be a lot of people here who are bitter that their (anti)hero destroyed himself. i would speculate that a lot of the motivation for this bitterness is connected with the unhappiness of these gibson fans about their own lack of success in life. somehow, they think gibson is one of them, which objectively is laughable. he is a megarich star; many of these people are no doubt unsuccessful personally and professionally.

        Comment by proitr — Sunday May 29, 2011 @ 4:44pm PDT  Reply to this post

        • Say what you want about Mel, at least he was not purported to have said “I will f*** you ’till you love me!” Tyson, however, did supposedly say that and yet he had a job in Hangover 1.

          Stay classy, Zach G. May you never have a domestic dispute that explodes in the press… or if you do, may people be more understanding to you than you were to Mel G.

          Comment by santa — Tuesday May 31, 2011 @ 5:28am PDT  

    • Didn’t pan out so well? If you’re in love with Mel Gibson then just say so, but don’t try to imply that executives are disappointed with a record setting opening weekend… their reaction to the news of the Gibson cameo squashed was probably the same as everyone else’s reaction: a yawn and a shoulder shrug.

      Comment by College Student — Sunday May 29, 2011 @ 9:06am PDT  Reply to this post

• Actually, critics (for the most part) liked the first Hangover… this one looks bigger and louder, but not funnier or more original. This will open big (probably not as big as the projections), but will have very short legs. It’ll be really interesting what kind of effect (if any) spillover from sell-out shows has on Bridesmaids.

  Comment by bigbowood — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 11:02am PDT  Reply to this post

• I want the Bridesmaids fans to look at this. If these figures pan out (and there’s no reason they shouldn’t), make sure you remember: THIS is how a real comedy film performs. By the end of this 5-day weekend, the Hangover II will already have made more money than Bridesmaids has in more than 2 weeks.

  Comment by blistering — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 11:14am PDT  Reply to this post

  • Don’t fool yourself, the Hangover’s box office is unique, in a similar way to Avatar. Those movies are not realistic benchmarks for other films in their respective genres. Bridesmaids IS how a real comedy performs-with great legs and positive WOM. Bridesmaids has performed terrifically.

    Comment by Kris — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 5:50pm PDT  Reply to this post

  • You can’t be serious. That’s like comparing the first Hangover to the first weekend of Austin Powers 2. 54 mil in 99 against 44 in 2009 and an even bigger spread with inflation adjustments. It friggin’ apples to oranges.

    Bridesmaids is one of the few unqualified successes of the year so far and it’s got killer legs, both Kristen Wiig’s and the film’s WOM. Hangover 2 is doing just fine as well but it’s success so far is completely based on Hangover 1 and it remains to be seen if it can sustain its current pace.

    I don’t know what kind of weird woman hating Mommy’s boy you happen to be. But don’t make arguments that make you look like the loser you most likely are in real life.

    Comment by bill — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 6:45pm PDT  Reply to this post

    • Hilarious. You can’t come up with a sensible reply to me, so all you can do is sink to the level of name-calling, eh? That speaks more to who you are than to who I am.

      And as for Bridesmaids being an unqualified success? Sorry. It’s not. It doesn’t matter if the movie has legs (and after this weekend is said and done, you’ll see that it doesn’t). Doesn’t matter that the movie’s made back all of its money and some more. Doesn’t matter that it was an “original” idea (which it wasn’t – sorry, but creating a female Hangover isn’t original, it’s just different). It was supposed to appeal equally to guys and gals. It was supposed to be funnier than the Hangover (and it isn’t). It was supposed to blow away the competition (it didn’t – couldn’t even hit #1 despite the outright glorification and deification this movie has gotten from every last film critic/media outlet/etc. over the past few months). This movie was supposed to change comedy itself – it was supposed to tear down the walls of the Fortress of Comedy that keeps women from getting good comedic roles, destroy the old paradigm, and install a new one. You see that happen yet? No. And you won’t. The same way that Inception, despite being an unqualified box office success, didn’t open Hollywood up to new ideas either.

      The money argument doesn’t work either. Mainly because I and everyone else have been told repeatedly that not only was Bridesmaids better than the Hangover II (it isn’t), it would perform better than it. Yes, I and many others have heard this repeatedly. Well if someone like that has the balls to make that ridiculous prediction, then those who says that have to live with the consequences when it doesn’t happen. By its own self-imposed high standards, Bridesmaids is a failure. Rather than getting angry and trying to throw shallow personal attacks at me, just deal with the fact that you’re backing a movie that, in the end, is a loser.

      Comment by blistering — Saturday May 28, 2011 @ 2:29am PDT  Reply to this post

      • What is your problem, blistering? You say this:

        “Doesn’t matter that the movie’s made back all of its money and some more.”

        And then this:

        “you’re backing a movie that, in the end, is a loser.”

        And this is about the same film? Are you oxymoronic? Obviously you’ve got some problem with women, as you were accused 2 posts above.

        Women have for years begun to dominate many areas in entertainment. If you work in the industry, you’d better wise up or soon find yourself out the door. Unless you’re one of those who uses chatboards like this as a platform to vent your misogynist vitroil, while simultaneously kissing the clitoris of your immediate superiors so you don’t get fired from your job.

        The movie is a winner in every way, shape or form. Deal with it.

        Comment by flashmob — Saturday May 28, 2011 @ 12:09pm PDT  Reply to this post

      • I got no dog in this fight, but you are clearly delusional…

        As for the “shallow personal attacks” — it must be your first time commenting on Deadline. Better grow some thicker skin.

        Comment by Jack — Saturday May 28, 2011 @ 12:14pm PDT  Reply to this post

      • Sorry dude, but calling you an idiot isn’t name calling . Idiot is a real term. And it does apply to you. I don’t know if you are a Zach G. fanboy from the Comic Con world or what or a paid poster for Warners. The fact is Hangover was always considered one of the biggest films of this summer while Bridesmaids was hoping to go over 20 mil to exceed expectations. If you are your “friends”, and I’m guessing you mean the other geeks down at the comic shop, heard that Bridesmaids would beat the Hangover then you really need to get out more.

        Both films are two of the biggest hits of the year so far and really the only two that have widely exceeded expectations. If anything they prove that R-rated comedies can perform exceedingly well if done right and that Uni’s pathetic excuses earlier this year about Your Highness were ridiculous.

        The problem is that instead of seeing a spate of good R-rated comedies you’re going to see a lot of comedies about people blacking out and then trying to figure out what happened or debauchery tied to weddings, reunions, graduation and the like. Relativity already announced one about a blackout this week, and the American Pie sequel is about a ten year reunion.

        Comment by bill — Saturday May 28, 2011 @ 1:17pm PDT  Reply to this post

      • Dude, you got own. Just accept it.

        Comment by Tyson — Sunday May 29, 2011 @ 1:25am PDT  Reply to this post

      • Bridesmaids is a failure?!?!? Alright crazy, go back to your job VideoWest and leave us alone…

        Comment by kellis — Sunday May 29, 2011 @ 1:34am PDT  Reply to this post

      • This could go down as most delusional post of the year. You were wrong on almost every point you made. Wow! That’s not easy to do.

        Comment by Jacob — Sunday May 29, 2011 @ 1:33pm PDT  Reply to this post

      • I love how your arguments for Hangover is based on your opinion of what is funnier and what isn’t. I happned to think think the movie is very funny. More importantly, as someone who works in the biz, I root for its success, not failure, because it went against every conventional wisdom just to get made. Even if it is the Hangover with chicks, there lies the beauty of its success. This was a studio picture, with no name director and stars, going against the norm for female comedies, a wedding movie that wasn’t a rom-com.
        This movie gives everyone who tries to make a movie in town hope. Yes it’s slim hope but if you are persistent, you will get a shot to make something unique, make it well, and be rewarded for sticking to your guns….

        Comment by blistering is a bridesmaid! — Sunday May 29, 2011 @ 5:21pm PDT  Reply to this post

  • You have no idea what u are talking about! Real comedy film performs? No comedy, let alone a rated R one has ever came close to the money this will make this weekend, but it doesn’t mean that it is good! Bridesmaids is going to have a great run and be an example of quality R rated comedy!

    Comment by Anonymous — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 11:01pm PDT  Reply to this post

  • Um.

    See: “Bridesmaids” = all female cast, therefore less of a male audience, which makes for most of the moviegoing public.

    See: “Hangover 2″ = all male cast, therefore it makes for most of the moviegoing public, PLUS their girlfriends.

    To judge them equally is ludicrous. “Bridesmaids” is doing UNBELIEVABLE business for a comedy in general, but for an R-rated comedy with an all-female cast, it’s performance is stunning.

    Get it now?

    Comment by Mark — Friday May 27, 2011 @ 12:12am PDT  Reply to this post

    • I get that you’re being a little snippy. And yes, I can judge them quite equally, since all I and the rest of the moviegoing public have been told over the past few months is that Bridesmaids is not a chick flick, that it’s something guys can watch and will watch as much as women, that Bridesmaids is “the female Hangover, only better” etc. etc. Well, if that’s the standard that’s being used, then I’m going to stick to that standard, and say that given what Bridesmaids has done so far, and what the Hangover II is and will do, Bridesmaids is a categorical failure compared to the Hangover II.

      And how is Bridesmaids doing unbelievable business? Granted, it’s stuck around for the past 2 weeks, but it didn’t finish #1 in either of them. Or are we using the soft bigotry of low expectations to let Bridesmaids off the hook here?

      Comment by blistering — Friday May 27, 2011 @ 7:30am PDT  Reply to this post

      • I haven’t seen Bridesmaids, nor have I any desire to, but come on dude, it’s doing really well. It cost $32 million to produce, has earned more than double its budget in its first two full weeks, and it on its way to well over $100 million total.

        Sure, it’s no where near as successful as Hangover, but Iron Man was nowhere near as successful as Dark Knight and How To Train Your Dragon was nowhere near as successful as Toy Story 3. Does that mean Iron Man and HTTYD were bombs?

        Comment by bmg — Friday May 27, 2011 @ 10:04pm PDT  Reply to this post

      • Hey blistering…

        BRIDESMAIDS opened above expectations, had a remarkable hold in its second weekend, was the only holdover film to take a slight jump on Thursday rather than falling in the face of the HANGOVER II/KUNG FU PANDA 2 onslaught, and has already grossed over twice its budget in its first two weeks. A “categorical failure”? Hardly.

        Of course it wasn’t going to do the same opening-weekend business as HANGOVER PART II; it’s an original with no box-office names in the cast, as opposed to a front-loaded sequel to a huge hit. Either you’re a shill for Warner Bros. or you can’t deal with the idea of women playing successfully in the men’s sandbox; either way, the only one practicing “bigotry” here is you.

        Comment by michael — Friday May 27, 2011 @ 10:22pm PDT  Reply to this post

        • So it’s either that I shill for Warner Bros, or I’m afraid of girls? How about NEITHER? Maybe it’s more that I was bombarded by press/advertising/critical saying that Bridesmaids was god’s gift to comedy, and not only was it not that at all, but it hasn’t even hit #1 at the boxoffice throughout its theatrical run, and won’t now that the summer season is in full swing.

          I’ll grant you Bridesmaids has made its money back, but frankly, I was expecting more given the glowing, fawning, tributes to this movie. It was supposed to destroy the notion that chick flicks weren’t just for chicks – guys would watch them too. Right? That’s all I and everyone else have been told for months now. And guess what? That didn’t happen. Find a man who saw Bridesmaids and you’ll find one that was dragged there to see it by his significant other, not because he wanted to. Meanwhile, here comes the Hangover II, and it will have a nice, healthy mix of male and female audiencegoers (definitely more male than female, but still in a decent ratio I expect).

          By the standards it was holding itself to and everyone was holding it to, Bridesmaids was a failure. Plain and simple. If you don’t want to acknowledge that, then fine, but that’s your problem, not mine. Meanwhile, the Hangover II, which critics aren’t falling all over themselves to praise, is going to kill at the boxoffice. And in today’s Hollywood, THAT is what matters. Sad but true.

          Comment by blistering — Saturday May 28, 2011 @ 2:14am PDT  

      • You do realize you’re comparing a new movie to a sequel with a built-in audience, right?

        Comment by cookmeyer1970 — Friday May 27, 2011 @ 11:22pm PDT  Reply to this post

        • Yup. A new movie that I and everyone else has been told repeatedly over the past few months that would outdo the Hangover II.

          Well it didn’t. And won’t.

          Comment by blistering — Saturday May 28, 2011 @ 2:30am PDT  

        • Go back to the mailroom @ Dedicated Talent because that’s clearly where your sources are – sources who told you “repeatedly over the past few months that (BM’s) would outdo the Hangover II.”

          Comment by leftdust — Sunday May 29, 2011 @ 5:12am PDT  

      • @BLISTERING — You have obviously lost a large sum of money betting against Bridesmaids or you really do have women’s issues, b/c you are FREAKING out all over this comment board, and it’s hilarious.

        I guess you’re not a Kristen Wiig fan, are you?

        BTW, no matter how many times you declare Bridesmaids a failure, the numbers say otherwise — BIG TIME — and it makes you look foolish.

        Comment by Sammy — Saturday May 28, 2011 @ 12:28pm PDT  Reply to this post

    • The professional victim machine behind the hype for Bridesmaids sounds defensive and cranky. Critics loved it? Critics are irrelevant. The ones you can’t buy are dominated by peer pressure and bandwagon-jumping. Stubnning box office? If its stunning you don’t have to qualify its success with alibiws. Relax. It did well enough to justify this mini-sub-genre of Animal House for women for a few years. How about stories about women, written by women, starring women, that don’t just copy so-called male genres? There’s no law yet that movie studios or any other producers of American ” art” have to lose money because of sheer political pressure.

      Comment by moraliste — Friday May 27, 2011 @ 9:32am PDT  Reply to this post

      • Just cause it keeps getting brought up, I’d like to clarify that they started writing Bridesmaids before The Hangover came out. They actually started writing it before The Hangover sold as a spec. So these girls weren’t copying The Hangover. Also, if you’ve seen Bridesmaids, the storyline isn’t close to Hangover at all.

        Comment by Jacob — Sunday May 29, 2011 @ 1:39pm PDT  Reply to this post

    • I think that’s a little sexist don’t you? I mean to assume that men won’t go out to see it because it has female leads, or that women don’t want to see the hangover because of male leads is just ludicrous. I also have to say that while in some cases men do bring their girlfriends to see movies like hangover, girls also get their boyfriends to take them to chick flicks just the same (if not more) as men do. Using sexist comments to try and justify why the movie you wanted to take #1 isn’t, is just ignorant. I’m not saying that bridesmaids is bad. In fact me and my girlfriend are going to go see it at some point this weekend because it looks hilarious. It just so happens that Hangover is better. Oh and every one on here who is trying to say that this movie isn’t as funny as the original is crazy because I barely stopped laughing throughout this movie. It did a great job so stop trying to put it down

      Comment by Tyler — Saturday May 28, 2011 @ 11:45am PDT  Reply to this post

  • You’re right. Unless a film has set an all-time high for an R-rated comedy, it’s a failure. Time to shut the movie industry down.

    Comment by jer — Friday May 27, 2011 @ 8:41am PDT  Reply to this post

  • Embarrassing comment… I think you need to inform yourself on the sexism that exists in Hollywood first and foremost.

    Comment by Riley — Friday May 27, 2011 @ 9:35am PDT  Reply to this post

    • I’m quite well informed in that regard. And that has nothing to do with this argument. A good comedy film should bring everyone in to see it, right? Because it’s damn funny and everyone wants to laugh? The Hangover II will do this.

      Bridesmaids, by contrast, was also supposed to shatter the old paradigm and bring in men and women equally also, right? And it didn’t. So by that standard, it was a failure. The middling box office for it doesn’t help it either.

      Comment by blistering — Saturday May 28, 2011 @ 2:40am PDT  Reply to this post

      • Since I’m unable to reply in our previous thread…

        You obviously have some sort of bias against BRIDESMAIDS, and/or one toward HANGOVER II, because no casual observer would bend over backwards the way you have to deem BRIDESMAIDS a “failure.” It’s going to gross well north of $100 million and turn a huge profit for the studio. Other “failures” that never hit #1 at the box office: MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING, SHERLOCK HOLMES, DANCES WITH WOLVES, A BEAUTIFUL MIND, CHICAGO. Etc., etc.

        For the record, I have a number of male friends who saw BRIDESMAIDS voluntarily, and loved it. Also for the record, I enjoyed HANGOVER II (though it’s little more than a funny carbon copy of the original–and based on comments here, far from everyone is laughing at it) and don’t begrudge that film its success. But it is curious that you can’t seem to accept that both movies are doing very well.

        Comment by michael — Saturday May 28, 2011 @ 11:44am PDT  Reply to this post

        • I have nothing personal against the film (which would be weird tbh). I’ve just been bombarded with the high expectations that everyone has been laying on Bridesmaids for most of this year so far. And I don’t think it’s lived up to them (hence me continuing to call it a failure). The Hangover II, by contrast, has been raked over the coals for being unoriginal, a retread, etc. etc., yet here it is with a massive box office return. From an audience that was (and is) 50/50 male-female.

          BTW, I have no doubt there are guys who willingly went to see Bridesmaids and liked it. Going by the audience breakdown of Bridesmaids by gender, though, they were the exception – not the rule.

          Comment by blistering — Monday May 30, 2011 @ 8:28am PDT  

      • Middling box office? Blistering, when 99% of likely very well-educated/industry-savvy commenters on an entertainment website tell you that a movie is a success, you LISTEN to what they’re saying.

        You admit that it has been a financial success, has made back its costs, and that enough people liked it for it to have scored an 89% score on Rotten Tomatoes (leaps and bounds better than what HANGOVER II is scoring), yet you say it is a “failure” because it didn’t do HANGOVER II business? (Which as I’m sure you realize is a movie with a very large in-place fanbase.)

        Get a clue man. Profit is profit. And you better damn well know BRIDESMAIDS 2 will be coming out next year as well.

        Comment by charley — Saturday May 28, 2011 @ 12:28pm PDT  Reply to this post

        • I agree, both films are doing very well. I saw Bridesmaids this weekend and thought it was hilarious. The theatre was almost full and there were both women and men in the audience. Bridesmaids will continue to have legs as women tell their friends it’s good. The moms who stay home opening weekend will arrange babysitters and go out for the night.

          You are absolutely right. From a business perspective, profit is profit…it doesn’t have a gender. I think blistering is actually “whiskey” (from previous posts). He uses these message boards to vent his misogyny. I’m much more interested in the perspective of rational people and how the film industry reacts and plans to target the female market.

          Comment by Jane — Monday May 30, 2011 @ 6:41am PDT  

        • Why? So even less people can see Bridesmaids 2 than did Bridesmaids?

          Comment by blistering — Monday May 30, 2011 @ 8:21am PDT  

      • Were you reading /Film? Is that why you’re on this “Bridesmaids was supposed to change everything” kick? You do know that Bridesmaids was universally panned on this very site since the very first trailer came out and was predicted to be a huge bomb, right?

        I don’t think you’re a sexist, for the record. I do think you’re an idiot who needs to learn a lot more about the movie business before commenting on it around anyone but your close friends.

        Comment by Jacob — Sunday May 29, 2011 @ 1:43pm PDT  Reply to this post

      • The only thing blistering here is your idiocy. I don’t want to engage you on that level, but you’ve left the sensible pocket of society no choice. Why continue to defend your position? It’s obvious that you’re attempting to outwit your Deadline opponents, who are, let’s face it, much smarter than you. If you’re going to continue this dug in position, why don’t you provide some solid facts to back it up. Where and when did ANY media outlet, journalist, studio executive or self-appointed Facebook critic announce that BRIDESMAIDS would outperform the HANGOVER II? I am not only a consumer, but in the trenches every day actually making movies, and I never heard it. From anyone.

        There is no question that BRIDESMAIDS is an unexpected success. I am also certain that Universal (not the best game in town, by any means) saw an opportunity to provide a majority female audience with its own HANGOVER. That’s neither sexist nor simplistic. It’s the way they think, fortunately or unfortunately. But goddamn if I am not a red-blooded American male who enjoyed the HELL out of Wiig and gang. They delivered. On every level. And it was a triumph. I enjoyed it more than the original HANGOVER, Blistering. Now, please, stop typing… and go see BRIDESMAIDS.

        Comment by Attack! Attack! — Tuesday May 31, 2011 @ 7:30am PDT  Reply to this post

  • Blistering, your analogy is blistering. You will live to eat those typewritten words and I hope you are nowhere in line to greenlight a film in any studio’s comedy department. In 2 weeks when word-of-mouth, the thing that makes or frickin breaks a comedy eventually, hits the streets that H2 is garbage, it will sink faster than…

    Comment by Uknowit — Friday May 27, 2011 @ 12:03pm PDT  Reply to this post

    • Maybe. Anything is possible. I could be wrong.

      I doubt it though.

      Comment by blistering — Saturday May 28, 2011 @ 2:35am PDT  Reply to this post

    • I can assure you that blistering will never be anywhere close to being in line to greenlight anything. My guess is he simply crawled on over here from imdb.

      Comment by cookmeyer1970 — Sunday May 29, 2011 @ 7:43am PDT  Reply to this post

      • So you’re psychic – is that it? Apparently you must be because you obviously know everything about someone on the internet you don’t know.

        Man, everyone here keeps trying to tell me who I am. All because I don’t like Bridesmaids, a movie that isn’t funny and that, yes, is a failure. You people sure are sensitive.

        Comment by blistering — Monday May 30, 2011 @ 8:23am PDT  Reply to this post

        • I think you have too much time on your hands. This debate between Bridesmaids and Hangover 2 is too funny.

          I am glad that we broke box office records this weekend. YAY even though it’s other people’s money. This super box office is due to Hangover 2.

          I saw it tonight. I laughed through the whole thing. So did the audience who were mostly 18-24 year olds.

          I’m going to see Bridesmaids next weekend. I’m sure it’s hilarious too.

          Aren’t we lucky we have some good movies to see lately?

          Comment by Karen — Monday May 30, 2011 @ 9:28pm PDT  

  • “THIS is how a real comedy film performs”
    Really? By having what looks like a frontloaded weekend instead of having small weekend drops and strong weekday showings like Bridesmaids? Its obvious that in this weekend The Hangover 2 will make more money than Bridesmaids, but next weekend its destined to drop a lot, Bridesmaids doesn’t have that problem so I’m sure everyone can label that one having the better run. It also helps that since it had less than half the budget of The hangover 2 that it will be the better blockbuster.

    Comment by Jose — Friday May 27, 2011 @ 8:59pm PDT  Reply to this post

    • Agreed–once the WOM gets out on HANGOVER II, it’s going to drop considerably. As for BRIDESMAIDS, it not only is getting in a surprising amount of male viewers, it is also getting in older audience members who normally write summer off and wait till Xmas for Nancy Meyers’ next flick. Give it up, blistering–your argument has even less legs than H2.

      Comment by deering — Monday May 30, 2011 @ 10:09pm PDT  Reply to this post

• I dont care about the critics, I have booked tickets for Hangover this weekend with my friends and we will enjoy it !!!

  Comment by Parthi — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 11:19am PDT  Reply to this post

• Love the comments on here. Always looking to put negative spin on a runaway success. “This will have very short legs” “Not like Bridesmaids”

  I bet every studio wishes they had ten of these “disappointing” films each year. This is show BUSINESS people, admit it, and some people are just better at it than you.

  Comment by HateVille — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 11:21am PDT  Reply to this post

  • The problem is, bad movies like Hangover 2 kill a franchise and that is not good for long term studio success. If it’s as bad as people say it is, nobody will be looking forward to Hangover 3.

    Comment by Mr. B — Friday May 27, 2011 @ 3:46pm PDT  Reply to this post

    • It’s too early to think about Hangover 3. I’m still trying to figure out what was going on. Soooo many details and they were funny. I love the wolf pack. We need to absorb this adventure first.

      Comment by Karen — Monday May 30, 2011 @ 9:32pm PDT  Reply to this post

• Part of it’s success is that it thank god is not in 3D. The movie may suck, but you don’t have to wear damn glasses or pay extra to see it

  Comment by Chris — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 11:22am PDT  Reply to this post

• No wonder why movies suck now. Audiences have such low standards. This film is completely recycled from the first. Embarrassing it is doing so well.

  Comment by Tito — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 11:31am PDT  Reply to this post

• Saw it last night. Carbon copy of the original. All the same characters, all the same jokes, just out of order. disappointing. But it’ll make bank. Probably will dip heavily the second weekend.

  Comment by Jim — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 11:55am PDT  Reply to this post

• I watched it last night. I laughed quite a bit. I didn’t think it was as funny or even as good as the first, but as far as comedies go its one of the better ones. A lot of critics seem mad primarily because it lacked originality and seemed like the exact same general story. This is truw but what did people expect? It is a sequel to a movie called the Hangover, there is realy one way to go with a movie with that title. The real test for me is when I see it again. I saw the first Hangover multiple times in theaters and I laughed every time, even though I knew what the jokes were and what was going to happen, it was still funny (I can do the same thing with Step Brothers. No matter how many times I see Step Brothers I will always laugh.). This is the sign of a good comedy, in my opinion. I am going to see Hangover 2 again tonight and see if I laugh as much as I did last night. If I do then it is at least good enough to make me laugh upon multiple viewings, even if it is not as good as the first.

  Comment by jcillini88 — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 12:15pm PDT  Reply to this post

• Its the Same movie only set in Thailand.

  Comment by iTS THE SAME MOVIE — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 12:25pm PDT  Reply to this post

• It wasn’t as funny as the first one, but it gets the job done. This is in no way a disaster like some are proclaiming. Its a straight through audience picture. The crowd I was with ate it up. Is it a must see? Preferably if you can catch a matinee, great. If not, no need to rush.

  Comment by Alboone — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 1:01pm PDT  Reply to this post

  • the 1st one wasn’t even funny,it was dry

    Comment by anti — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 6:30pm PDT  Reply to this post

• Critics loved the comedy Bridesmaids.

  Comment by thebigham — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 1:06pm PDT  Reply to this post

• I’m confused. Didn’t “Pirates 4″ open with something like $5 million on midnight screenings and everyone said that was strong? “Hangover” did TWICE that without the 30% 3-D surcharge? Hm, what’s that noise I hear? Oh, it’s millions of people throwing away their 3-D glasses for good. Who needs 3-D?

  Comment by Edward — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 1:48pm PDT  Reply to this post

  • And yet another ignorant post. Did you happen to read the entire post about Pirates last weekend or just the early headline. Pirates set records overseas and 3-D was a big part of the story. They don’t even need the North American totals to make Pirates profitable at this point. Domestic BO is simply icing on the cake. So, no. 3-D is not going away. And neither is the Pirates franchise.

    Also, in case you can’t figure it out. Family pictures rarely set records at midnight screenings. That would be because most families are in bed at that time of the day.

    Comment by bill — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 6:51pm PDT  Reply to this post

    • really did someone said that overseas doesn;t count??? only domestic makes the profit,it depends, if its profit selling, its profit

      Comment by anti — Friday May 27, 2011 @ 8:35pm PDT  Reply to this post

    • Actually, your post is ignorant. Pirates 4 made more money via 2D tickets domestically. Most reviewers and audiences have reported the 3D adds absolutely nothing to the film.

      3D is a gimmick. Aside from the occasional film that really benefits from it, the majority of pictures that utilize 3D are just doing so as an afterthought. The fact that you seem happy that 3D isn’t on the way out (yet) makes me fear for the future of movies.

      Comment by David — Saturday May 28, 2011 @ 12:15am PDT  Reply to this post

      • Are you the biggest moron on the planet david? Did you even read the guys post before you replied? It’s seem you and Edward have something in common, or you two are one in the same.

        “And yet another ignorant post. Did you happen to read the entire post about Pirates last weekend or just the early headline. Pirates set RECORDS OVERSEAS and 3-D was a big part of the story”

        Comment by Redmenace — Saturday May 28, 2011 @ 12:55am PDT  Reply to this post

      • Uh wow. 3D internationally was the point. Please re-read the two posts before yours. Your ignorance of what you are responding to is staggering. The point Bill was making was that 3D is going nowhere due to the impact on PIRATES 4′s INTERNATIONAL gross. What don’t you understand here? Whether or not 3D is a “gimmick” or is irrelevant. It still sells whether it meets YOUR liking or not.

        Man. Please get over yourself.

        Comment by Hi David — Saturday May 28, 2011 @ 3:47am PDT  Reply to this post

    • Bill — get your head out of the sand. There was a huge article right here on DHD that 3-D actually HURT Pirates’ grosses because the amount of tickets sold for 3-D showings were well, well under past 3-D films. The only one who’s ignorant here is you.

      Comment by Doc Michaels — Saturday May 28, 2011 @ 7:06am PDT  Reply to this post

• Rotten Tomatoes has the original at 79% so I don’t think the critics really mattered so much to it. I doubt the demographic for the movie (males, college age up to mid 40s) care too much about critical reviews… they just care whether their “bros” like it, so IMO word of mouth will be more important than the critics.

  Comment by Ben — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 1:51pm PDT  Reply to this post

• Not as funny as the original. I’m sure word of mouth will get around thats its not that great

  Comment by joe — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 1:59pm PDT  Reply to this post

• Correction: Critics are too intelligent to laugh at garbage.

  Comment by cadavra — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 2:09pm PDT  Reply to this post

• Yeah – critics gave Bridesmaids a 90% score, Knocked Up 91%, Forgetting Sarah Marshall 85%, and the Hangover around 75% – they know when to laugh – at the actually funny comedies.

  Hangover II looks likes a big disappointment, and as stated, a cash-grab. That’s too bad. The first pretty much deserved the respect and revenue it got.

  Comment by Agreed — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 2:19pm PDT  Reply to this post

• why didn’t the original writers write this one?

  Comment by mufflesauce — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 9:40pm PDT  Reply to this post

  • because the original script of Part 1 sucked. Sucked so bad you can’t find it anymore on the internet. Philips changed the whole thing.

    Comment by uh huh — Sunday May 29, 2011 @ 2:49pm PDT  Reply to this post

• Yup, and with this box office gross, it pretty much guarantees that there’ll be a Hangover Part III.

  Maybe the wolf-pack will wake up hungover on the moon, and Stu somehow managed to lose his penis over the course of the night of debauchery, and Alan will be babysitting the actual baby Jesus.

  Comment by t — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 9:57pm PDT  Reply to this post

• Wow. Who ever thought that an R-rated film would be able to open bigger than Johnny as Cap’n Jack? Is
  this the biggest R-Rated opening ever?

  Comment by hangdog — Thursday May 26, 2011 @ 11:55pm PDT  Reply to this post

  • I think The Matrix Reloaded and The Passion of the Christ were bigger.

    Comment by casting couch — Friday May 27, 2011 @ 5:38am PDT  Reply to this post

  • Not likely. If Nikki is right about Hangover’s making $80-85 million, it will fall short of Matrix Reloaded’s $91.8 million from back in 2003, and possibly even Passion of the Christ’s $83.8 million from 2004.

    Comment by bmg — Friday May 27, 2011 @ 8:06am PDT  Reply to this post