Director: 'The Hangover Part II' Is Nod to 'The Godfather'

From mob bosses to Mike Tyson, Sicily to Las Vegas and a beheaded horse to a smoking monkey, the similarities between 'The Godfather' and 'The Hangover' are glaring -- that's why director, Todd Phillips, chose to name the sequel in homage of the classic tale, 'The Hangover Part II.'

"There have been very few sequels that have been made that live up to or exceed their first film," Phillips told MTV. "'The Godfather' is the first one."

Although 'going to the mattresses' and 'going to the strip club' may be slightly different in terms of the two masterpiece's plots, according to Phillips, 'The Hangover' sequel will deliver just as 'The Godfather Part II' did. In part, thanks to a smoking monkey.

"There's a monkey in this film that's going to book a lot of parts after this film," he said.

The only problem: the monkey who is set to outshine Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis was taught to smoke for his role, but now cannot get through a scene without taking a smoke break.

And as to whether 'The Hangover' will see the light of a third installment: "I see other movies that have gone to three, or whatever, and you go 'I get why they do it.' It's actually fun to do. We just spend the whole day laughing and trying to make a movie."

Danneel Harris Malia Jones Natalie Zea Amber Arbucci Emmanuelle Chriqui