Mel Gibson dropped from The Hangover sequel

Police are investigating Gibson on suspicion of domestic abuse

Mel Gibson has missed out on a cameo role in the sequel to the hit comedy The Hangover after objections from cast and crew, its director has said.

Todd Phillips said in a statement that he planned to cast him as a tattoo artist but did not have "the full support of my entire cast and crew".

Phillips said he and studio Warner Bros thought "Mel would have been great".

The decision follows the release of recordings of Gibson, 54, apparently threatening his ex-girlfriend.

"I realize film-making is a collaborative effort and this decision ultimately did not have the full support of my entire cast and crew," Phillips said.

A representative for Gibson made no comment.

Extortion allegation

The original Hangover film, about a stag party that goes awry in Las Vegas, took more than $467m (£297m) globally.

The sequel, due out next year, will reunite Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Justin Bartha.

Los Angeles police are investigating Gibson on suspicion of domestic abuse against ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva, the mother of his one-year-old daughter.

Ms Grigorieva, meanwhile, is being investigated over claims that she tried to extort money from Gibson.

Neither has been charged.

On Thursday, a judge ruled that detectives could have unlimited access to Ms Grigorieva's computer.

She had sought a ruling to limit access to her machine.