Warner Bros. has pulled the first trailer for The Hangover Part II from theaters after failing to vet the spot properly with the Motion Picture Assn. of America, which makes sure movie advertising isn’t out of sync with the ratings system.
The MPAA asked Warners to rectify the situation after the trailer—complete with a monkey made to perform a simulated sexual act—debuted in front Summit Entertainment’s Source Code on April 1. Source Code is rated PG-13; while Hangover II is rated R.
“In our haste to meet the placement schedule for this trailer, we failed to properly vet the final version with the MPAA. We acted immediately to correct the mistake and removed the trailer from screens,” Warner Bros. said in a brief statement.
But the trailer is apparently too racy to play even in front of R-rated films. Insiders said Warners is making several tweaks to the trailer before it goes back into theaters on April 15, playing in front of the R-rated Sream 4. The online trailer also will change.
Warners wouldn’t discuss what’s being tweaked, but insiders say the scene featuring the monkey nibbling on an old man’s “wenis” is a likely target.
Hangover II opens in theaters on May 26.
