‘Hangover III’ Inexplicably Allows Justin Bartha to Rejoin Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Gailfianakis (FIRST PHOTOS)

Posted September 11, 2012, 3:13 pm   •   by Todd Gilchrist   •   1 comments

After two virtually identical adventures, Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis and Ed Helms are back for a third – which Warner Bros. insists is different this time: basically, it sounds even more decadent and depraved than its predecessors.

“This time, there's no wedding,” reads the studio’s official synopsis. “No bachelor party. What could go wrong, right? But when the Wolfpack hits the road, all bets are off.”

Meanwhile, a new collection of behind-the-scenes photos suggests that Justin Bartha, who sat out most of The Hangover and The Hangover Part II, may actually get to join in on the hijinks this time around.

Who else from the previous films is returning for The Hangover Part III?

Bartha has long been absent from his castmates' misadventures, either propelling them by going missing (as in the first film) or simply reporting them from afar (in the second). While his return will no doubt mean a healthy payday, it remains to be seen whether or not he's still relegated to the sidelines for this third and final odyssey.

In addition to the core quartet, Ken Jeong returns yet again as Mr. Chow, Heather Graham reprises the role of Jade, and Jeffrey Tambor once again plays Sid. Actresses Gillian Vigman, Sasha Barrese and Jamie Chung also return as the characters’ spouses.

John Goodman joins the cast for the first time, in a role yet to be announced.

Director Todd Phillips wrote the script for the film with Craig Mazin, who also co-wrote The Hangover Part II. Phillips retains many of the team members who worked with him on the previous two films, including cinematographer Lawrence Sher and editor Debra Neil-Fisher.

The Hangover Part II is scheduled for release on May 24, 2013.