All 6 ‘Home Alone’ Movies in Order
Home Alone is not just a classic of holiday season cinema; it is one of the best family franchises ever; well… if you ignore some installments, that’s not relevant here. John Hughes’ screenplays focusing on Kevin have become a Christmas tradition. In this article, we are going to bring you all the Home Alone movies in the proper chronological order. Alongside the chronological order and release order of Home Alone movies, we are going to bring you some additional info on the movies and the whole franchise. Let’s see how to watch Home Alone in proper order.
Editor’s Note: This watch order has been updated in December 2023 with the latest info regarding the Home Alone franchise.
Home Alone movies in release date order
As of December 2023, there are currently six Home Alone movies. Some of them were more successful than others, and some of them went straight to DVD. For the most part, we mostly remember the first two installments. The movies are as follows:
- Home Alone (1990)
- Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
- Home Alone 3 (1997)
- Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House (2002)
- Home Alone: The Holiday Heist (2012)
- Home Sweet Home Alone (2021)
Are all Home Alone movies connected? What’s the best way to watch them?
Three of these Home Alone movies are part of the same narrative continuity featuring the same characters, while two are standalone iterations of the story. Disney’s Home Sweet Home Alone is sort of connected to the original story. The best way to watch Home Alone movies is in chronological order. The order doesn’t coincide with the actual release order
All 6 Home Alone movies in chronological order
As we’ve mentioned, the chronological order doesn’t coincide with the actual release order; instead, we decided to sort the movies taking into account the storyline. Home Alone (1990), Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House (2002) and Home Sweet Home Alone (2021) are somewhat connected. The other two movies, Home Alone 3 (1997) and Home Alone: The Holiday Heist (2012) are just built on the same premise and don’t have any connection to the original stories whatsoever. The chronological order is as follows:
- Home Alone (1990)
- Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
- Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House (2002)
- Home Sweet Home Alone (2021)
- Home Alone 3 (1997)
- Home Alone: The Holiday Heist (2012)
1. Home Alone (1990)
We start off our chronological order with the first installments. In Home Alone, the McCallister family embarks on a holiday trip to Paris, inadvertently leaving their youngest child, Kevin, 8, at home. Initially tormented by his siblings, Kevin is portrayed as puny, carefree, and easily frightened, especially by his mysterious neighbor, Father Marley, and the spooky features of his home. Despite his initial fears, Kevin proves to be intelligent and resourceful.
2. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
In Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, the McCallister family prepares for a Christmas vacation in Miami, Florida, with extra precautions to avoid leaving their son Kevin behind, as had happened the previous year. However, Kevin takes the wrong plane at the airport and ends up in New York, following someone dressed similarly to his father.
3. Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House (2002)
Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House introduces characters connected to the original storyline. Kevin McCallister’s parents are divorced, and Kevin, living with his mother, opts to spend the holidays with his father to avoid his teasing brother Buzz. The holiday destination is the luxurious mansion of Natalie, Kevin’s father’s new partner.
4. Home Sweet Home Alone (2021)
Home Sweet Home Alone is the latest entry in the series, loosely connected to the original story. Ten-year-old Max Mercer is accidentally left at home when his family embarks on a vacation to Tokyo, with separate flights due to a booking error. Initially relishing the freedom of being alone, Max faces a challenge when burglars Pam and Jeff Fritzovski target his house, intending to steal a priceless family heirloom. The film follows Max’s efforts to defend his home and outsmart the burglars in a holiday-themed adventure.
5. Home Alone 3 (1997)
In Home Alone 3, Petr Beaupre, Alice Ribbons, Burton Jernigan, and Earl Unger, internationally wanted arms traffickers, acquire a military microprocessor near San Francisco International Airport for a North Korean terrorist group. They hide it in a remote-controlled car, intending to transport it to Hong Kong. However, an old lady mistakenly takes their bag at the airport, and upon discovering a toy inside, she gives it to her young neighbor, Alex Pruitt, as a reward for his efforts.
6. Home Alone: The Holiday Heist (2012)
In Home Alone: The Holiday Heist, the Baxter family relocates from California to Maine for the Christmas season. Siblings Finn and Alexis Baxter are both engrossed in their individual technological pursuits, with Finn immersed in the video game “Robo Infantry 3” and Alexis constantly on her cell phone. Curtis and Catherine, their parents, attempt to encourage socialization.
Where to watch the above-mentioned movies?
The first two installments can be streamed on Disney+, Starz, and DirecTV. ‘Home Alone 3’ is also available for streaming on Hulu. The last three installments can only be watched on Disney+.
Will there be more Home Alone movies?
There will be more Home Alone movies, and we can confirm that Macaulay Culkin is returning to the franchise. As of December 2023, we can confirm that no release date has been set, but we will update you as soon as we have more information.
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