Warning: spoilers for The House are in play. If you don't want to be spoiled, you're more than welcome to go back to reading another story, and coming back after you've seen the film.
In the wake of The House's busted bet of a first weekend, stories have come out about another bad hand dealt the way of the film. As it turns out, despite signing singing sensation Mariah Carey for a cameo, the film didn't end up getting a frame of film in edgewise when it came to their originally planned appearance. However, upon closer examination, the film does contain footage that features the much maligned chanteuse. But much like Meryl Streep in Baby Driver, it's not exactly a full cameo, as Carey can only be seen on the posters in the illegally operated casino.
While no scenes were shot with Mariah Carey, despite her being on set for a day's worth of scheduling, there are still plenty of shots with Carey's likeness plastered near the theater in the casino. In fact, many of the shots in the film's third act turn with actual cameo star Jeremy Renner happen to have this poster featured clear as day. We noticed this because earlier in the film, a different act was pictured in the lightbox where the theater's poster would go. And it's not like they're trying to hide it either, as the poster is pretty clearly depicted in the film.
So with the little information we know, how would Mariah Carey fit into The House, and was it really a huge blow to the story to not have her? Well, to answer the first question, we think we know how the gag with Carey would have started. Towards the beginning of the film, we see Rory Scovel's Joe enjoying a rather subpar comic by his lonesome. Now since these were early days, it's not like the casino would have been able to draw top tier talent. But shifting later in the film, when the fortunes of The House start to turn for the better and they start investing in improvements, the obvious twist would have been that they could afford better acts.
Enter Mariah Carey, who would have performed at the casino, up until she more than likely was taken out in the battle between Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler's suburban parents and Jeremy Renner's mob. We already know that her part called for her to be shot down in the casino in The House, and this is the most obvious set-up that would have allowed for this scene to happen. Of course, it also helps that during the remaining sequence of events between all parties involved, the poster for Carey's act is at its most front and center in the entire film.
Which leaves us with the second question to be answered, and we can safely say that no, The House didn't lose anything by not including a Mariah Carey cameo. While they may have lost a day of shooting, and a celebrity cameo that they probably already paid for, the film didn't lose any sort of steam without that one scene of comedy. In fact, it's probably better that Carey wasn't in the movie to begin with, as it would have proved extremely distracting throughout the film's actual course of events. Kind of like a poster for an act that never ends up showing up in the film, or is never mentioned by name in the first place.
Don't let the lack of Mariah Carey stop you from seeing The House, if you're really that interested. The film's in theaters now, and it could use some audience members to boost its profile.
