Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
- Before Macaulay Culkin was cast, several major A-list stars turned down the lead role because they felt the script was too risky.
- Chris Columbus originally wanted a completely different ending for the film, but test audiences preferred the one we see today.
- The original script for Home Alone 2: Lost in New York was written over a decade before production finally began in 1992.
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York is a 1992 American family comedy film directed by Chris Columbus, the sequel to the 1990 holiday blockbuster. Macaulay Culkin returns as Kevin McCallister, who accidentally boards the wrong flight and ends up alone in New York City with his father's wallet and a bag full of cash while his family flies to Florida. Kevin checks into the Plaza Hotel, tours the city, and eventually encounters the Wet Bandits β Harry and Marv, played again by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern β who have escaped prison and are planning to rob a toy store's charity proceeds on Christmas Eve.
Home Alone 2 was a deliberate structural remake of the original, transplanting the same formula to Manhattan β Kevin separated from family, enjoys unsupervised freedom, battles the same criminals with elaborate booby traps. While critics noted the repetitive formula, audiences embraced the sequel's bigger scale and the appeal of a child exploring New York City during the holidays. The film featured a cameo by Donald Trump, who owned the Plaza Hotel at the time, directing Kevin to the lobby β a scene that has been endlessly discussed in subsequent decades.
Tim Curry's addition as the suspicious hotel concierge added a new antagonist dimension. Home Alone 2 earned $359 million worldwide on a $28 million budget, confirming the franchise's enormous commercial appeal.
