The Hangover proved to be a major success and one that made the cast very wealthy. That also includes Mike Tyson, who was in a dark place at the time and doesn't exactly remember being in the first film. However, the role put him back on the map, and changed his career.
Although the sequel was a major hit at the box office, some of the cast struggled to visualize the plot, and that included Ed Helms. Ultimately, the film worked out, though there were several complications behind the scenes, as we'll reveal in the following.
We're going to take a look back at a couple of lawsuits to take place in the sequel film. One of them, was due to a failed stunt, while the other lawsuit over a copyrighted tattoo, one that almost put the anticipated film's release in jeopardy.
Let's take a look back at how it all unfolded and the way both matters got resolved.
The Copyright Tattoo Lawsuit Wasn't The Only One The Hangover II Faced
The Hangover II wasn't a critical success compared to the first film, however, it was still a big box office hit, bringing in more than $586 million, off an $80 million budget.
There were several complications that the film faced behind the scenes, and that included a stunt gone extremely wrong, with Australian stuntman Scott McLean.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, not only was the stuntman severely injured, but the film wasn't covering his medical costs.
"McLean and his partner Raelene Chapman have been left ‘‘disgusted’’ and distressed, with McLean now facing stress-related seizures on top of his rehabilitation," the publication writes.
Ultimately, 11 months after the terrible accident, a deal was reached behind the scenes, putting the stuntman at ease, at least a little bit. However, according to his partner, at the time, the problems were ongoing, such as seizures and headaches.
‘‘I have made several attempts to get back to work, but it’s impossible. My priority is and will always be Scott. I do try to protect him by not telling him about most of the ongoing problems ... I’m not a good liar. He knows me too well," she told SMH.
Warner Bros Got Taken To Court By Mike Tyson's Tattoo Artist Over Ed Helms' Ink In The Film
A lawsuit Warner Bros likely didn't see coming. In the sequel, Ed Helms has a face tattoo, which is a lot like Mike Tyson's. Of course, Tyson had a major role in the first film, and regained his popularity thanks to the success.
Tyson was likely less than thrilled when his tattoo artist filed a copyright infringement against the film for the ink. According to artist, the design was the same as his own, and he was not asked for permission to use the work of art.
At that point for the film, there was no chance of editing it out or anything of the sort. It would also put the film in jeopardy, with a possible delay to theaters.
Thankfully for the fans, the matter was resolved quickly, though it was done so outside of court.
The Lawsuit Was Finally Settled Out Of Court And Did Not Impact The Release Of The Hangover II
A settlement was eventually reached, as Whitmil and his lawyers took part in a day long mediation with Warner Bros' legal team. An agreement was signed by the two sides, however, more information towards the settlement was kept quiet. In all likelihood, Warner Bros made the tattoo artist sign an NDA.
The Hollywood Reporter writes, "Terms of the settlements were not disclosed. When asked for comment, Whitmill attorney Geoff Gerber provided THR the following statement: “Warner Bros. and Mr. Whitmill have amicably resolved their dispute. No other information will be provided.”
The tattoo artist would also ask for the film's release to be delayed. However, that did not take placed, and the request was denied.
"Just days before the film was scheduled to be released, U.S. District Court Judge Catherine D. Perry denied Whitmill’s request for a preliminary injunction," THR reported.
Ultimately, although the film soared at the box office, the studio had to deal with lots of problems behind the scenes, that put the film in jeopardy.
