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Academy Museum Unveils ‘Home Alone’ Casting Shortlists as Iconic House Moves Toward Film-Era Restoration

New archival notes alongside a house makeover underscore careful legacy stewardship 35 years later.

Overview

  • Louise Hilton of the Academy Museum showcased casting memos on TikTok that listed Kirstie Alley and Susan Sarandon for Kate McCallister, with Blythe Danner, Candice Bergen and Joanna Cassidy also in contention.
  • Notes detailed alternate villain pairings that tagged Tim Curry with Daniel Stern, flagged Joe Pesci as “offer only,” and showed Jimmy Stewart was considered for the neighbor role eventually played by Robert Blossom.
  • At an Academy Museum screening, director Chris Columbus criticized later entries as “really bad sequels,” arguing the franchise declined after Home Alone 3 and lost the practical-stunt feel that defined the originals.
  • Macaulay Culkin floated an adult-Kevin premise that flips the setup with his child setting traps, though no studio, script or production is attached and Columbus said a return would hinge on original principals.
  • The Winnetka property featured in the film is set for an interior restoration funded by its current owner, who bought it for about $5.5 million, with project lead Scott Price saying the goal is to recapture the movie’s warmth; no timeline was given.