Home Alone 3 would have been a lot more successful if Macaulay Culkin had returned, but the then-teenaged actor passed on the pitch for the sequel.

Despite being the star of the first two Home Alone movies as Kevin McCallister, Macaulay Culkin left the franchise after 1992’s Home Alone 2: Lost in New York — and despite over three decades passing since, many viewers still wonder why Kevin wasn’t in Home Alone 3. The first Home Alone sees Kevin left behind when his family goes on vacation over Christmas, which leads to him defending himself and his house against two burglars known as the Wet Bandits. The follow-up, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, has a similar premise, only it sees Kevin facing off against the Wet Bandits in the Big Apple.

The two movies have become Christmas classics and are watched annually by millions of households. Home Alone 2 is even more beloved than the original, and the series was on an upward trajectory. However, Macaulay Culkin surprisingly didn’t return for another sequel. Home Alone 3 arrived in 1997, but it followed a different family and kid — Alex D. Linz, played by Alex Pruitt. It was far from the success of its predecessors, with many blaming the fact that Kevin isn’t in Home Alone 3 for the lackluster feel of the follow-up. Unfortunately for the widely panned threequel, Culkin had other plans after his early success as a child actor.

Why Macaulay Culkin Quit The Home Alone Franchise

Kevin Wasn’t In Home Alone 3 Because Macaulay Culkin Retired

While Kevin wasn’t in Home Alone 3, there were several ideas for a third Home Alone movie that starred Macaulay Culkin. Development for Home Alone 3 failed to take off twice. The sequel was originally planned to be shot simultaneously with Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, and when that didn’t happen, a script was developed that followed Kevin as a teenager (via Uproxx).

However, a Home Alone 3 featuring Kevin McCallister didn’t happen for one major reason — Macaulay Culkin retired. Macaulay Culkin had an amazing movie career, starring in not just the Home Alone movies but also My Girl, Richie Rich, and Uncle Buck, making him one of the most successful rising movie stars at the time. That shockingly came to an abrupt end in 1994 when Culkin officially retired — albeit temporarily.

Macaulay Culkin decided to leave acting behind him in order to pursue hobbies such as painting and writing (via Vanity Fair), and this decision also drastically changed the future of the Home Alone franchise. However, even though the actor hasn’t returned to the role since 1992, the 2021 release Home Sweet Home Alone, the sixth movie in the series and the fourth one without Culkin, reveals what happened to Kevin McCallister after Home Alone.

An Easter egg hints that he became a home security expert. A sign on the movie’s young protagonist, Max’s house reads, “Protected by McCallister Home Security,” hinting that Kevin even started his own business.

Home Alone 3 Failed Without Macaulay Culkin

Alex Wasn’t A Good Replacement For Kevin

There’s little doubt that Home Alone 3 would have been a much bigger financial success if Macaulay Culkin had returned. Sadly, Home Alone 3 without Kevin failed to resonate with audiences. The movie barely made $80 million (via Box Office Mojo), which is a more than significant drop from Home Alone 2: Lost in New York‘s $359 million gross (via Box Office Mojo).

That $279 million difference is largely due to the mostly unknown cast in the threequel. Not only did Culkin not return, but neither did Joe Pesci nor any of the other original Home Alone actors. And without any familiar faces or notable connection to the original movie, Home Alone 3 was always going to get a less-than-stellar reception.