15 Years Later, ‘The Hangover’ is a Streaming Hit

The Hangover has countless accolades. With a Best Picture Win in the Comedy or Musical category at the Golden Globes, it’s widely considered one of the best R-rated comedies ever. Having grossed $467 million at the global box office, it’s also one of the highest-grossing R-rated movies of all time. Now, after more than 15 years, the raunchy buddy comedy that launched a $1 billion trilogy is a streaming success on MAX.

The 2009 film is currently ranked eighth in MAX’s top 10 movies. Interestingly, it’s the second-highest-ranking comedy after 2024’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. The Hangover came at a time when Hollywood studios were more willing to greenlight bigger theatrical comedies. Today, comedies are more likely to find a home on a streaming service like Netflix. Still, it seems there is an appetite for films like The Hangover, as proven by the top 10 movies on MAX.

It’s not just the studios moving away from theatrical comedies, either. The Hangover director, Todd Phillips, has also taken a break from the genre. After helming a bevy of raunchy comedies in the early 2000s, from Road Trip to Old School, Phillips began to veer more towards dramas after The Hangover trilogy concluded. This transformation seemed complete after Phillips directed The Joker in 2009. The filmmaker followed the massive success—critically and commercially—with Joker: Folie à Deux, interestingly,also in MAX’s top 10.

What’s Next from Todd Phillips?

Based on Phillips’ comments in the lead-up to Joker’s premiere, it’s unlikely that we will see the filmmaker return to the comedy genre anytime soon. In 2019, the longtime comedy director cited “woke culture” as one of the reasons he’s no longer interested in making films in the genre. So, unless Phillips has a change of heart or senses some sort of cultural shift, it’s unlikely a fourth Hangover movie will go into production in the near future.

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Given the sequel’s sour reception, it’s also unlikely that fans will ever see a third entry in the filmmaker’s Joker series. Not only was Joker: Folie à Deux panned by critics upon its debut, but it also notoriously became one of 2024’s biggest box office flops. Given the film’s “D” Cinema Score and 32% Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes, the Joker sequel’s placement in MAX’s top 10 is likely more out of morbid curiosity than anything else.

At this point, it’s easier to say what Phillips won’t do rather than what he might. His reported slate remains empty, but it’s only a matter of time until we hear what’s next from the acclaimed filmmaker, as he has made studios far more money than what he lost in 2024. Until then, fans can enjoy The Hangover streaming on MAX.