Heath Ledger’s Joker Inspired 1 Hilarious Character in ‘Joker’ Director’s R-Rated Comedy ‘The Hangover’

The Hangover is one of the most successful comedy franchises in Hollywood and went on to spawn three movies after the massive success of the first one. Made on a meager budget of $35 million, the movie went on to make about $467,416,722 worldwide and became the highest-grossing R-rated comedy ever in the United States. 

Todd Philips is the versatile creator behind comedies such as The Hangover, Due Date, Borat, or School for Scoundrels, and he is also known for his dark movies such as Joker or A Star is Born. So, it is not surprising to find out that Heath Ledger’s iconic Dark Knight Joker actually went on to inspire a character in the hilarious comedy. 

Heath Ledger’s Joker inspired the character of Ken Jeong’s Mr Chow in The Hangover

When the iconic comic “villain” Mr Chow of The Hangover comes to mind, no one can ever make the connection between Leslie Chow and Heath Ledger’s Joker. However, the way he breaks into comedic yet sociopathic laughter can be seen as inspired by the classic laughter associated with the Joker that Heath Ledger portrayed in The Dark Knight. 

In 2011, Ken Jeong actually confirmed the sources of his inspiration for the role while talking to Inquirer.net. In that interview, he said that he drew inspiration from several sassy criminal characters on screen:

“It’s a combination of different characters in movies and people. Joe Pesci’s character in ‘Goodfellas’ was a big inspiration. In fact, there were times in Thailand when I’d watch ‘Goodfellas’ in my trailer just to get in the right mood. And Heath Ledger in ‘The Dark Knight’ in terms of the sociopathic qualities of Mr. Chow.”

Also Read: Hangover Almost Replaced Zach Galifianakis With a Fan-Favorite Spider-Man Actor Before Changing Their Minds

Needless to say, it paid off, not just in the original Hangover movie but also in the sequels as well. It is one of the most memorable characters in The Hangover franchise and still, to this day, equally hilarious. 

Bradley Cooper said he would do The Hangover 4 in an instant

Bradley Cooper may have done a lot of acclaimed movies, like Silver Lining Playbook, American Sniper, A Star is Born, Limitless, etc., however, The Hangover series always had a special place in his heart. It is not only because it firmly established him as a comedic actor in Hollywood but also because of his shared camaraderie with Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Ken Jeong, and more.

Also Read: “I don’t think Todd’s ever going to do that”: Bradley Cooper Has a Bad News For Hangover Fans Who Are Waiting For the Wolf Pack to Return

In an interview with The New Yorker Radio Hour, he opened up about how he would do The Hangover 4 in a heartbeat if it were on the cards: 

“I would probably do Hangover 4 in an instant. Just because I love Todd, I love Zach, I love Ed so much, I probably would.”

However, he also mentioned that Todd Philips might not be inclined to make a fourth installment of The Hangover movies:

“I don’t think Todd is ever going to do that.”

Also Read: 1 Actor Who “Lost His Mind” During ‘Hangover’ Audition Later Became the Best Part About the R-Rated Film Series

While it is sad that such an iconic series might not appear for another time on the screen, it is probably for the best to let the classic rest. Meanwhile, the audience can always binge-watch the old movies on a weekend to get a hilarious nostalgia trip. 

All the Hangover movies are available to watch on Netflix.