The Hangover II and Thor rounded out the top three with Source Code, I Am Number Four, and Sucker Punch close behind. The theory is that those films are popular amongst tech-savvy males while the thought of downloading makes a girl’s head hurt.

Overall, downloads are down significantly from last year. Fast Five was downloaded 9.3 million times, but last year’s top spot belonged to Avatar with a download tally of 16.6 million. It can be argued that these numbers fell because of Hollywood’s war on piracy, or that films were just suckier than usual this year. It’s also possible that TorrentFreak fudged the numbers to get the heat of Hollywood and the anti-piracy bill they’re trying to push through off their backs. It’s what Dom and Brian would do.

1. “Fast Five“(Universal): 9.3 million

2. “The Hangover Part II“ (Warner Bros. / Legendary): 8.8 million

3. “Thor“ (Marvel/Paramount): 8.3 million

4. “Source Code“ (Summit / Vendome): 7.9 million

5. “I Am Number Four” (DreamWorks / Disney): 7.7 million

6. “Sucker Punch“ (Warner Bros. / Legendary): 7.2 million

7. “127 Hours“ (Fox Searchlight): 6.9 million

8. “Rango“ (Paramount): 6.5 million

9. “The King’s Speech“ (Weinstein Co.): 6.3 million

10. “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2″ (Warner Bros.): 6 million

(LA Times)

9. Captain America – $176,654,000
8. Thor – $181,030,000
7. Cars 2 – $191,446,000
6. Fast Five – $209,837,000
5. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides – $241,071,000
4. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II – $249,388,000
3. The Hangover Part II – $254,464,000
2. Transformers III: Dark of the Moon – $352,390,000
1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 – $381,011,000

Seven sequels and two comic-book adaptations round out the list. In case you were looking for the highest-grossing original premise for a film, you’ll have to scroll past #10 (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) to find Bridesmaids, one of the year’s few cinematic causes celebres.

I realize that bitching about the lack of original ideas is pretty unoriginal in itself, but this list demonstrates just how little both studios and audiences want to make or experience something new. I feel like the quality of these films almost takes a backseat to the glaring lack of originality.

Almost.

The films vary in quality, as one would expect, but I’m not really inclined to hate on these movies for a variety of reasons. Mostly, though I have avoided them like the plague, and don’t feel qualified to speak on the matter. That said, the banality of this list compels me to attach each film’s Rotten Tomatoes score to it.

9. Captain America – $176,654,000 – 78% RT
8. Thor – $181,030,000 – 77% RT
7. Cars 2 – $191,446,000 – 38% RT
6. Fast Five – $209,837,000 – 78% RT
5. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides – $241,071,000 – 33% RT
4. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II – $249,388,000 – 26% RT
3. The Hangover Part II – $254,464,000 – 35% RT
2. Transformers III: Dark of the Moon – $352,390,000 – 35% RT
1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 – $381,011,000 96% RT

This list contains one excellent movie, the good movies, and five bad movies. When viewed through that lens, it’s little surprise that five of the highest-grossing films of the year are bad. Four were good or better. That’s not so terrible, is it?

I think it is, given the familiarity of films. I have always viewed sequels, adaptations, and reboots as a crutch for moviegoers and studios alike. Taking an old idea and repackaging it takes away much of the fun. But people would rather buy a ticket to something they know, even something they know to be mediocre or even bad, than they would take a chance on something that could be great, but could also be a complete mess.

Take a movie like Hugo. It’s 100% family-friendly, possibly the best use of 3D since Avatar, and a seasonal (pretty much) film. It is also regarded as one of the year’s best, having garnered a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It has made $26 million dollars in three weeks. It probably will get to $35 million. Twilight made $35 million dollars in the time it took you to read this sentence.

Again, this article isn’t meant to plod through the well-worn territory of “everything Hollywood makes is crap,” but rather offer up some quantitative evidence of what audiences are valuing. It doesn’t make me happy or sad. I really don’t care how much money a film makes or loses. You would have to pay me to care about that. But I do care that these box office takes indicate trends that will dictate what movies will be made in the future. Sure, if Martin Scorsese didn’t make Hugo, he probably would have made another awesome film, probably starring Leonardo DiCaprio. But I’m guessing Scorsese won’t be given another big-budget film for a long time, and that sucks.

Michael Bay, on the other hand, is currently in talks to direct a fourth Transformers film.

Looking at these lists makes me feel like someone just slid a bowl of plain oatmeal under my face. It doesn’t make me mad. It doesn’t make me feel much of anything, other than a smug sense of superiority, which was around way before the list.

So if you wanted to know how much movie goers value “Hey! I know that!” more than they do “Hmmm. That sounds like a great movie,” compare the above lists with this one:

9. Winnie the Pooh – $26,700,700 – 91% RT
8. Arthur Christmas – $25,300,000 – 92% RT
7. Source Code – $54,700,000 – 92% RT
6. Midnight in Paris – $55,900,000 – 93% RT
5. Drive – $34,600,000 – 93% RT
4. Hugo – $26,000,000 – 94% RT
3. Moneyball – $74,000,000 – 95% RT
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 – $381,011,000 – 96% RT
1. The Muppets – $56,400,000 – 97% RT

As much as critics and movie journalists discuss the gap between the quality of films and their financial success, the truth is it could be even bigger than we thought.

In light of recent cuckoo lawsuits filed against Drive and The Hangover Part II, here are seven of Hollywood‘s most frivolous lawsuits.

Crazy Lady vs. Drive

A Michigan woman filed a class action lawsuit against the distributor of Drive because the film failed to feature her preferred amount of driving. She also accused the film of antisemitism. But mostly it was the driving thing that bugged her. I’d be interested to see her reaction to the blatantly-racist yet high-octane Transformers films.

Aspiring Writer vs. The Hangover Part II

Aspiring writer Michael Alan Rubin has filed suit against the makers of The Hangover Part II, claiming the film stole his life story. Rubin claims that the plot of the film was stolen from a treatment he wrote based off his own exploits in Thailand. “The plot and theme of ‘Hangover 2‘ is copied from the treatment ‘Mickey and Kirin’ and also from the private real life incident of the plaintiff, because the protagonist in Hangover 2 travels from the United States to an Asian country to marry his Asian girlfriend,” says the lawsuit. Rubin also didn’t cotton to the notion that his character would do drugs or accidentally propose to a tranny. Because he soooo didn’t do that, in case that’s what you heard.

6 photosKim Lee

Yep, it can. Though Whitmill has worked out a deal to receive money for his copyright, Warners have opted to digitally augment the tattoo before the film is released on home video in December. That means Whitmill can claim against the theatrical release and marketing materials that feature his work, but won’t see a dime of the DVD sales. In silent protest, Whitmill will design a tattoo of Calvin urinating on the WB logo. (THR)

First of all, the film does a great job of handling how the exact same thing happens again. The characters acknowledge it just enough without being all, “Remember the last time we passed out and had to piece back the comic misadventures of the night before?” The only excuse they need is “it’s still funny,” so they don’t dwell on the explanation.

It is nice to see more of the wolf pack’s everyday interaction, including how they’ve coped with the history of Vegas. Phil’s (Bradley Cooper) basically the same but Doug (Justin Bartha) is happily married and Stu (Ed Helms) is now completely overprotective. Alan (Zach Galifianakis) is a definitive personality with his pronunciation of Thailand and random Doogie Howser jokes, and, as destructive as he is, he’s also sweet and protective.

‘Hangover Part II’ Teaser Warms Your Frat Boy Heart

They really build another mystery, even though we’ve already seen Stu’s face tattoo and Alan’s shaved head on the poster. The catch phrases on the poster aren’t spoilers either. “I have a demon in me” comes up in a totally different context than I imagined it would. The script by Scot Armstrong, Craig Mazin and Todd Phillips seamlessly applies the Hangover structure to a new setting. The beauty of it is it could happen anywhere, or with anyone (i.e. franchise.)

This hangover is even more desperate. Stealing Tyson’s tiger is irresponsible, but it’s easy enough to stay out of a wildcat’s path. Thailand is epically seedy and their exploits there have permanent ramifications. They have not given away the most shocking moments in the trailer. You’ve seen one-off gags like hitting the pig with the car, but the actual immoral ones are a surprise. The tattoo artist cameo definitely didn’t need to be a celebrity stunt casting. It works great with just a tough character actor.

6 photosKim Lee

If you want a completely different structure then you’ll be disappointed, but then also it wouldn’t be The Hangover, it would just be some other movie. So it’s a tattoo instead of a tooth and a monkey instead of a baby. Stu’s new song isn’t quite as funny as “Halle Berry in her Catwoman suit” and the photo montage at the end isn’t as shocking, but I’m glad they tried them again. The beauty of sequels is they can try different takes on familiar favorites, and build on what they’ve done before. It becomes tradition and there are plenty of new bits destined to be classics. Alan’s meditation flashback is so right for depicting how Alan sees the world.

Look, it’s not entirely unpredictable but it’s funny. The explanation for their second blackout is a bit disappointing but so far, The Hangover Part II is the only summer movie that lives up to the hype. I want to see another one, but the next blackout shouldn’t happen at a wedding. Maybe Doug’s son’s bar mitzvah, and not just finding another missing person. They should cause an international incident, maybe murder someone. It can turn out in the end that he was a terrorist and they actually saved the day, but take it to the next level. Keep doing it though.

“It’s certainly not in the same template that you’ve seen these movies,” Phillips said. “Obviously we always envisioned it as a trilogy as you can imagine. The third would be very much a finale and an ending. The most I could say about it, what’s in my head, and I haven’t discussed it with these actors, is that it is not following that template but very much a new idea.”

14 photosWarner Bros. Releases Too Many 'Hangover Part II' Stills

I don’t expect it to stop at III. You could always do spinoffs. “Listen, I love this world that we’ve created,” Phillips said. “I love every actor in these movies, even all the ones that aren’t here today as well. Who knows, we do a Mr. Chow movie, I haven’t talked to Ken [Jeong] about it but Chow is definitely a man of mystery much like Austin Powers. He obviously has a web that is woven deep in crime and women.”

It doesn’t even have to be connected to this set of characters. You could always throw new comedians into more hangover situations. “Yeah, please tell that to these guys and their agents,” Phillips deflected. “No, I would not see spinning it off like that. I wouldn’t do that.”

With that, Ed Helms jumped in. “We’re just like the kids in the Vacation movies,” Helms said, making reference to the rotating cast of Griswold kids including Anthony Michael Hall and Juliette Lewis in different entries.

The Hangover series has already gone from Las Vegas to Bangkok, so Phillips reiterated his joke about where a third one could be set. “As far as where it takes place, I said I’m very open, like the Olympic committee, to being pitched and presented cities, flown around with wine and women and bribed,” Phillips said. “Then I will make my decision.”

The Hangover Part II opens May 26.

S. Victor Whitmill (kind of a regal name for a tattoo artist, no?) claims that Tyson gave him ownership of the tattoo design, and, consequently, a copyright on the work. Whitmill has the docs to back up that he’s the copyright holder, and has a signed release from Tyson.

So, the question that remains is: Did the studio need to get his permission to use the design on Ed Helm’s face? There are two sets of circumstances that would preclude the studio from having to get Whitmill’s permission. The first is if the tattoo was different enough that they could argue it’s just a coincidence. Not likely. Though the designs are VERY similar, this might have been viable if, uh, Mike Tyson hadn’t appeared in the original The Hangover.

The second one is that if they argued fair use due to parody. I don’t know enough about copyright law to weigh in on whether this holds water, but we will see as we creep up on the film’s Memorial Day weekend release. I’m sure some sort of compromise will be reached. I think dragging Ed Helms out onto Hollywood Blvd. during the premiere and executing him should do the trick. (THR)

Then again, I think killing Ed Helms is the answer to everything.

There isn’t a ton of new footage, but spot #2 is pretty damn funny. Creepy Zach Galifianakis is always good for a laugh – Tim & Eric fans know what I’m talking about. (Incidentally, does anyone know where my chippy has gone to?) Ed Helms does a lot of freaking out, Ken Jeong does a lot of obnoxious laughing, and Bradley Cooper keeps the pack together. “I can’t believe this is happening again.” Well, Ed Helms, you spent several months filming the sequel, so I kind of find that hard to believe.

The pack blacks out and wakes up in theaters with a foggy memory again on May 26th.

My favorite is the one with Ed Helms, who’s making a tough-to-pin-down facial expression, somewhere between intense fear and resignation. Which one is your favorite? The monkey, probably. I bet it’s the monkey. (Empire)

Neeson’s cameo as a tattoo artist in Bangkok was cut from The Hangover Part II. Director Todd Phillips needed to re-shoot the scene for continuity reasons three weeks ago, but Neeson was in London shooting Clash of the Titans 2: Titan Up. At the last minute, Phillips got Nick Cassavetes to sub-in.

“He came in and crushed it and that is the scene that you will ultimately see in the film,” said Phillips in a recent interview. “[I'm excited for everyone] to see the film. It turned out great.”

The small part has been recast three times. It was going to be played by Mel Gibson, until the cast was like, “he’s… kind of a horrible racist?” So then they cast Neeson, but the above hullabaloo led to Cassavetes nabbing the role. A lot of fuss over a small cameo – hopefully they had time to focus on, y’know, the rest of the movie.

The Hangover Part II drunkenly stumbles into theaters May 26, though the film may not remember it did that on the 27th. (Variety)

Oh, to be a fly on the wall during the late-night phone call that led to this: “Our people just checked out the Hangover 2 trailer. My god, there’s a monkey handjob in it! Send out the fliers, stat!” And it was done. Life as a movie executive is hard.

Yesterday, the trailer for The Hangover Part II hit the interwebs, and at first glance, the movie looks a lot like the original. Don’t get me wrong, we’re not saying that’s a bad thing. Even if Todd Philips made a scene-for-scene remake, I’d still pay money to see it. But even so, I couldn’t help but notice the glaring similarities. Of course, when you bring back the entire cast of a film, there’s bound to be some overlap, but this goes well beyond that. For example…

Big Wedding – Big Wedding

Both films revolve around a wedding. Not a big deal. In a group of friends, you’re going to have multiple weddings.

Alan Gives a Wacky Toast – Alan Gives a Wacky Toast

OK, I get Alan giving a toast to his friends at a bachelor party, but who the hell would let him speak at the rehearsal dinner? That’s poor planning on Stu’s part.

Missing Guy No One Cares About – Missing Guy No One Cares About

Just like the first film, a character no one cares about goes missing. They might as well have named both of these guys “Mr. MacGuffin.” Honestly, if the groom had died in the first film, it still would have been a hilarious movie.

Stu’s Missing Tooth – Stu’s Facial Tattoo

Poor Stu. First he pulls out his own tooth. Now he’s done gone and got himself a face tattoo!

Tag-Along Baby – Tag-Along Monkey

In the first film, it was funny to see a group of hungover bastards taking care of a baby. In this film, the same can be said for the monkey. As a bonus, there’s always a chance of a monkey attack, which is nice.

Clues In Pockets – Clues In Pockets

In both films, the men must search for clues in their pockets in order to piece together the previous evening. And in both films, wackiness ensues.

Trip to a Chapel – Trip to a Monastery

Church, monastery, whatever. Six of one, a half dozen of the other. After all, Christ is Christ. Am I right?

Baby Jerking It – Monkey Sucking It

In the first film, a baby jerks off. In the second, a monkey sucks off. Sorry the baby picture is of such a low quality, but I didn’t want to run too many searches with the keywords “baby” and “jerkoff.”

Convicted Rapist – Accused Rapist

Mike Tyson was the big surprise cameo in the first film. And while Phillips has denied that Bill Clinton will be appearing in part two, I still think there’s a 50/50 chance.

The new trailer for The Hangover II is here, brah! Check out what craaaaaazy sheeeeet the Wolfpack gets into this fuzzy-headed time around. Bangkok replaces Las Vegas, a monkey replaces the tiger, and an Asian kid replaces Justin Bartha. It feels like this movie might suffer from sequelitis. More of the same but in different ways. At least a valuable lesson is learned from this trailer: When a monkey nibbles on a weenis, it’s funny in any language. From your mouth to God’s ears, Zach.

A new still has been released for The Hangover 2 and loses points right off the bat for not featuring that monkey. Though the guys look pretty stressed out. Maybe they lost the monkey? I know I’d be pretty bummed if I lost a monkey that toured with the Stones. That thing is an automatic chick magnet.

One thing we know they won’t be losing this time around is Doug. Justin Bartha tells Empire in the latest print edition, “Doug isn’t lost in this one. There are similar circumstances, but he’s a little bit more involved.”

We’ll have to wait for a full-length trailer to find out exactly what is going on in this film, what role the monkey plays, and where Zach Galifianakis puts his penis this time around. (via The Playlist)

Just another morning at the high-profile rumor mill. Which one do you want first? We got some reeeeal hot rumors for you.

1. Charlie Sheen is being courted for a cameo in The Hangover Part II!? Principal photography has wrapped, but that’s not stopping the production from circling America’s (most recent) favorite high profile celebrity meltdown. The film comes out in May, so it remains to be seen what will happen with the man who runs on Tiger Blood (AKA cocaine and porn stars) between now and then. It’ll be interesting to see if he films a cameo in two weeks and flees to Mexico with a hooker in his trunk a month later. (SlashFilm)

2. Trent Reznor could be making a return to acting after a LONG absence. The Nine Inch Nails frontman and now Oscar winning(!) composer, who first acted alongside Michael J Fox in Paul Schrader’s 1987 film Light Of Day, might return to face the cameras as a vampire who (SPOILER ALERT!) kills Abraham Lincoln‘s mother in Timur Bekmambetov‘s Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, which Reznor is also scoring. We’ll see about that, as Reznor would really be effective as a vampire. No makeup needed on that pale genius! Slap some fake fangs on that guy and he’s ready. (JoBlo)

Ed Helms already revealed that former President/full-time party dude Bill Clinton will not appear in the film as previously believed. And now we know that Paul Giamatti definitely did film a cameo in Thailand as previously believed. But he is not taking Mel’s role.

“I do, I play Mel Gibson,” Giamatti teased MTV, but then added, “No, I think Liam Neeson plays that.”

He was able to shed a little bit of light on his role, “They kind of swore me to secrecy. I play a bad guy in it.” It’s unclear whether we’ll see Big Fat Liar Giamatti or Shoot ‘Em Up Giamatti which is fine. Just as long as we don’t see him as a lady-boy.

So says Ed Helms, via Playlist.

The star confirms that Clinton did spend a couple days around the set, but he would “be surprised if there’s [a scene in the movie].” Hardly a categorical denial, but Ed Helms hardly seems like the type of person that would give the public the runaround.

This revelation begs the question, “What was the ex-president doing there, then?” Was he hoping to swap racist jokes with Mel Gibson, who was replaced with the more-PC Liam Neeson? Did he catch Galifiankis fever just like the rest of the country did? Regardless of what he was up to, we can only hope that his appearance on set made will make it into the DVD special features.

With things in America the way they are these days, this country needs to heal. And to do so, we’ll need behind-the-scenes footage of Zach G., Clinton, Mike Tyson, and Bradley Cooper hittin the town together. Just like they do in my dreams.

McLean is a veteran stunt performer who has worked on movies such as The Matrix, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, Superman Returns and Ghost Rider. If he made it through Attack of the Clones unscathed, I’m certain he’s strong enough to make it through anything. (TheWrap)

Warner Bros. is taking the holiday as an opportunity to give you a glimpse of what they’ve got planned for 2011. Here we have first looks at The Hangover 2, Sherlock Holmes 2, Horrible Bosses, Something Borrowed, Final Destination 5, and The Apparition (featuring Ashley Greene in her nightie). You may have seen set pics from these films before but these are the first official publicity stills. You haven’t seen this before. Except in the case of Ashley Greene. If you are a Jonas, you have seen her wearing much less.

Let’s have a look!!

The Hangover 2 – May 26th, 2011

Zach Galifianakis does not travel light.

Something Borrowed – June 10th, 2011

Kate Hudson in a wedding-themed romantic comedy? Seems like a refreshing change of pace.

Sherlock Holmes 2 - December 16th, 2011

Here’s our first look at Noomi Rapace‘s American film debut as I don’t know, a character from “F-Troop,” I guess.

Horrible Bosses – July 29th, 2011

When I quickly glanced at this, I thought it was Hall Pass. Or the more recent movie where Justin Long and Drew Barrymore are dating.

Final Destination 5 – August 26th, 2011

Don’t just stand there! Someone is being wine cellared to death!!

The Apparition – September 9th, 2011

Not sure why he gets to be fully-clothed. Not complaining, just not sure.

On Saturday, Clinton, who just happened to be hanging out in Bangkok, Thailand, filmed a short scene for the Todd Phillips’ comedy. The 42 President will reportedly play himself, which means there’s a good chance we will see his penis. If all goes well, it could pave the way for Hillary Clinton to play the dreaded canklepotamus in Peter Jackon’s upcoming adaptation of The Hobbit. (People via Vulture)

Although nothing has been confirmed, many are speculating that Giamatti will take on the tattoo-artist role originally offered to Mel Gibson. Liam Neeson was brought on as a replacement for Gibson, but was then given a different part. Regardless of how it pans out, I have a feeling that this may finally be the film that gets the Oscar monkey off Giamatti’s back, assuming they give an Oscar for “Best Legitimate Actor Appearing in a Scene with Thai Hookers.”

^{Want. Now.}

Ed Helms is trading up. Heather Graham won’t be returning for The Hangover sequel, but Jamie Chung is stepping in. The former "Real World" star won’t have to mud-wrestle Coral in the "Real World/Road Rules Challenge" Gulag to make her rent.

With Premium Rush and Suckerpunch under her belt, Chung will next head to Thailand to play the fiancée of Ed Helms‘s character, Stu. Not sure if she’s his fiancée at the start of the film or if they become engaged during a night of Thai debauchery. I’m hoping that they don’t meet in Thailand. It will be so depressing to find out she has a penis. (THR)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
While they have many adult fans, the Harry Potter films are for children. Children don’t watch TMZ, so what better way for Mel to slip under the radar than with a cameo in the Deathly Hallows. It’s a great plan, unless Mel’s private church considers it witchcraft.

The Hobbit
A strange man from the wastelands just wandered into The Shire. This will end poorly.

Tron: Legacy
Call me crazy, but I am not excited about Tron: Legacy. Throw Mel into the mix, and you’ll have my attention.

Mission: Impossible 4
The title is officially Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol. So why not use the ghost of William Wallace?

Justin Bieber: Never Say Never
This film is the perfect chance for Mel to reinvent himself with a tween audience. The only problem: Jaden Smith.

Captain America: The First Avenger
Since this film takes place during World War II, I bet there’s a role that’s just perfect for Mel.

The Twilight Saga: breaking Dawn
Another film that will allow Mel to break into the tween market, Breaking Dawn also provides Mel with the opportunity for some off-screen high jinks with Robert Pattinson.

The Smurfs
Skin color doesn’t matter to some people. Unfortunately for you blue bastards, Mel is not one of those people.

Rise of the Apes
At the end of the day, if Mel can’t find regular acting work, there are always "motion capture" gigs to fall back on.

Technically he’s Scott the Body Piercer from Father’s Day, but we didn’t need to see it again in The Hangover 2. Did I just blow your mind, or did you actually remember Father’s Day? Thanks to Benji C. for the hookup.

These links are permanent.

_{What We Learned On the Set of ‘Harry Potter’ (MovieFone)}

_{The Playstation Phone Will Most Likely One Day Exist (Asylum)}

_{Killer Babes (Ranker)}

_{Holy Taco’s Pro-Meth Ads (HolyTaco)}

_{Nerds, Bow Before Your New King (FilmDrunk)}

_{Have a Drink On Her (Maxim)}

_{Creepy Church Baby (BarstoolSports)}

_{A Collection of Awesome Dunking Photos (EgoTV)}

_{The 100 Greatest Horror Movie Quotes of All Time (Pajiba)}

_{Anatomy of How a New Show Loses My Interest (Unreality)}

_{Suddenly Unicycles are Cool Because of This Guy (TotalProSports)}

_{10 Halloween Costumes That Will Get You Some Action (Smosh)}

_{Alex Ovechkin Hooks Up With Two Girls During GQ Interview (BroBible)}

_{Mila Kunis Wears a Little Black Dress (CelebJihad)}

_{And Now He’s Fired: Patrick Cote (CagePotato)}

_{‘Sesame Street‘ vs. FOX News (PopEater)}

_{Costa Rica Fans Brawl At Soccer Match (TuVez)}

_{Stella Artois 2010 Draught Championships (MadeMan)}

^{"Okay, Mr. Gibson. If your career will just follow me this way."}

Liam Neeson continues to build his film resume of doing anything anyone asks him to do. As previously reported, Mel Gibson was lined up to play a tattooist in The Hangover 2. The news caused the cast and crew to revolt, which led to Mel losing the part. That’s when Bradley Cooper got on the horn with Liam Neeson and offered him the cameo role.

That’s good. I guess. It’s kind of a lame cameo though. Mike Tyson was clever stunt-casting, and his inclusion worked well with the first movie’s plot. Neeson seems like a total left field choice. And he’s in everything. Literally. Go through your DVD collection and look really hard during crowd shots. I’m sure he’ll pop up 8 times out of 10. (Variety)

Mel Gibson is out of The Hangover 2 before he was even in it. Earlier this week we reported that Gibson was confirmed for a cameo in Todd Phillips‘s upcoming sequel to his hit The Hangover, but now TMZ is reporting that Gibson got the boot. Phillips had this to say:

"I thought Mel would have been great in the movie and I had the full backing of Jeff Robinov and his team.  But I realize filmmaking is a collaborative effort, and this decision ultimately did not have the full support of my entire cast and crew."

It’s thought that star Zach Galifianakis might be the one who was most opposed to working with Gibson, which is perplexing considering he’s neither Jewish nor one of Mel’s exes. Regardless, Gibson won’t get a chance at a comeback with a role as a tattoo artist in The Hangover 2, what I hear is the equivalent of saying ten Hail Marys and kicking a terrorist in the balls.

It looks like Zach Galifianakis doesn’t want to eat the cooter banana. While appearing recently on the Comedy Death Ray podcast, the notoriously choosey star of G-Force, "Tru Calling," and Out Cold  intimated that he’s having some "moral" issues with what Todd Phillips is planning to do on The Hangover 2.

“But a movie you’re acting in, you don’t have a lot of control — you just show up and vomit your lines out. I’m not the boss. I’m in a deep protest right now with a movie I’m working on, up in arms about something. But I can’t get the guys to [listen] … I’m not making any leeway.” Galifianakis cut host Scott Aukerman off with an abrupt warning sound as the host began to mention the film’s title, but after Aukerman pressed, “I know you’re filming The Hhhhhhhh … ” Galifianakis admitted, “It has something to do with a movie I’m working on, yeah. I’ll tell you about it later. It’s very frustrating.”

People are assuming that Galifianakis is taking issue with the inclusion of a Mel Gibson cameo in the film. Which is kind of silly. Sure, the man is considered vile right now and this is a case of stunt casting in the highest degree, but in all fairness, he was going to be hungover anway. Can you really blame Todd Phillips if he happens to point a camera at it? (Vulture)