The Hangover series has always been pretty self-aware. At least in ways that winked at the audience. With the trailer for Part III, they’ve all but winked down the fourth wall entirely. It doesn’t matter that terrible things happen whenever the Wolf Pack gets together because it’s funny. That’s the whole point, and it’s nice to know that our old friend Leslie Chow gets it.
Unfortunately, it looks like he’s stolen some money from a very dangerous man (played, yes, by John Goodman) and now that man is taking a hostage (guess who) to ensure that The Pack gets that money back for him. The adventure brings them back to where their bond was forged, and it looks like they learn a valuable lesson about highway height clearance and zoo animals along the way.
Check out the trailer for yourself:
At this point, everyone pretty much knows whether they’re going to see this or not. Still, it’s impressive that Todd Phillips and company have kept up the high concept plot gag for three full films. That kind of dedication needs to be commended, and from the look of the trailer, the movie seems pretty Ken Jeong-heavy which could be a welcome addition to the formula. It’s a tough day for giraffes though.
Let’s all hope it’s in the service of being funny.
The Hangover Part III is in theaters May 24th.