Two years after the events in Bangkok, Leslie Chow escapes from prison during a riot. Meanwhile, Alan Garner, whose behavior worries his friends more and more, goes through a difficult stretch that leaves the group unsure how to help. Phil, Stu and Doug agree to accompany him to a rehab facility, but the trip takes a wrong turn when they are kidnapped by Marshall, a crime boss determined to recover a stolen gold haul from years earlier. To save Doug, the three have three days to track down Chow, a man none of them has fully managed to leave behind. The film mixes chases, absurd situations and the familiar dynamic of the group, with Alan at the center of most of the trouble.

How it was made

The project was announced just days before the release of The Hangover Part II, and Craig Mazin, who had co-written that sequel, was brought on to write the new script with director Todd Phillips. In January 2012 the main cast signed on again, and in March Warner Bros. set a release for the U.S. Memorial Day weekend. The supporting roles were cast between June and September 2012. Filming began in September in Los Angeles and moved to Nogales, Arizona, and Las Vegas, wrapping in November. Phillips directed and co-produced alongside Daniel Goldberg, with Legendary Pictures as the production company. Lawrence Sher shot the film, Christophe Beck composed the score and Debra Neil-Fisher edited it. Phillips also reprises his role as Mr. Creepy from the first film, while Melissa McCarthy and John Goodman join the cast.

Reception and legacy

Critics gave it mixed to negative reviews. Against a budget of $103 million, it grossed around $362 million worldwide, a commercial success, though it is the lowest-grossing entry in the trilogy. It earned a Razzie nomination for Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel. The film premiered at the Westwood Village Theatre in Los Angeles on May 20, 2013, and opened in theaters on May 23, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It closes The Hangover trilogy, whose group-comedy tone and structure left a visible mark on American comedies of the following years.