Liam Neeson Replaces Mel Gibson in THE HANGOVER 2

Yesterday, we reported that Mel Gibson had been dropped from his cameo as a Bangkok tattoo artist in Todd Phillips’ The Hangover 2.  Today, Variety is reporting that Liam Neeson will play the role.  While Neeson isn’t a controversial choice by any stretch, it’s also ultimately a cameo.  Mike Tyson was fun in the first movie, but The Hangover was a success because of a strong script, smart direction, and hilarious lead performances, not because of a cameo (that was spoiled in the trailer anyway).  I’m sure Neeson will do a fine job, but no one should be writing off or celebrating the sequel based on this news alone.  The Hangover 2, which is due out on May 26, 2011, has the guys and their shenanigans headed to Thailand.

Neeson will next be seen in theaters this November in Paul Haggis’s The Next Three Days followed by the thriller Unknown.  He recently filmed what Variety is calling another cameo-sized role in Peter Berg’s Battleship.  Neeson is scheduled to begin filming on Joe Carnahan’s survival drama The Grey in January and will follow it up with more shooting on Battleship and then reprise his role as Zeus in Clash of the Titans 2.  He’s also attached to Ji-woon Kim’s The Last Stand and Brad Siberling’s low-budget war drama An Ordinary Man.