Macaulay Culkin Pitches Dark Concept for Adult 'Home Alone' Sequel

Macaulay Culkin, the actor globally recognized for portraying Kevin McCallister in the iconic 1990 film "Home Alone," has recently unveiled a strikingly original concept for a potential return to the role, this time as an adult. Culkin shared these thoughts during his ongoing promotional tour, titled "An Evening With Macaulay Culkin: Live and Unscripted."

The original Christmas classic, directed by Chris Columbus from a screenplay penned by John Hughes, was a monumental box office success. It grossed 476.7 million dollars worldwide against an initial budget of just 18 million dollars. This performance cemented its status as the second-highest-grossing film of 1990 and instantly established Culkin as a defining star of that decade. To this day, the movie remains a cherished staple of holiday traditions.

Culkin’s proposed narrative takes a significantly more somber turn. His vision features an adult Kevin who is either widowed or divorced and deeply enmeshed in his career. This professional preoccupation leads him to neglect his own child, resulting in a strained and distant relationship. The dramatic climax sees the neglected son, feeling utterly abandoned, turning the tables completely: the child locks his father outside, mirroring and reversing the central premise of the original story.

This adult version hinges on the metaphorical significance of the house itself. Culkin suggested that the adult Kevin’s struggle to break back into his own home would serve as a powerful allegory for his fight to “get back into his son’s heart.” The son would actively set up intricate booby traps, forcing the father to genuinely earn the restoration of their bond. This thematic depth is something notably absent from the four subsequent franchise installments released after Culkin’s departure, including 1997's "Home Alone 3" and 2012's "Home Alone: The Holiday Heist," none of which managed to recapture the magic of the first two entries.

Culkin, who is currently 45, has not entirely dismissed the prospect of reprising the role. He maintains that any revival would require the execution to be “perfect,” and he is “not entirely allergic” to the idea of a sequel, provided it is the “right thing.” This measured stance contrasts sharply with the perspective of Chris Columbus, the director of the original picture. Columbus has repeatedly stated his belief that any continuation would be a mistake, arguing that the “very special moment” captured in the 1990 film, made 35 years ago, is impossible to replicate, and the franchise should be left untouched.

The "An Evening With Macaulay Culkin: Live and Unscripted" tour kicked off on November 22, 2025, in Long Beach, California. These events feature screenings of the film followed by a live Q&A session with the actor, underscoring the enduring cultural resonance of the original work. Culkin’s pitch aims for a mature, thematic evolution of the Kevin McCallister character, shifting the narrative focus away from childhood ingenuity toward the complex realities of adult responsibility and fractured family dynamics.