For every timeless Christmas classic, there’s at least one sequel or remake that proves lightning doesn’t strike twice. Studios have tried to cash in on nostalgia, revive old properties, or modernize the magic — and the results are often disastrous.
From unnecessary follow-ups to baffling reboots, these are the worst Christmas sequels and remakes ever made, guaranteed to make you appreciate the originals even more.
Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House (2002)
Kevin McCallister is back — except he’s not. A completely new cast, recast parents, and a recycled plot turn this made-for-TV sequel into an awkward imitation of the 1990 hit. Even fans of Home Alone 3 didn’t deserve this one.
Where to watch: Available to stream; sold on physical media and digitally.
A Christmas Story 2 (2012)
Made nearly 30 years after the original, this direct-to-video sequel follows a teenage Ralphie trying to buy his first car. None of the original cast returned, and the attempt to recapture the original’s warmth falls painfully flat.
Where to watch: Available to stream; sold on physical media and digitally.
Deck the Halls (2006)
Not technically a sequel, but it plays like a rejected Christmas Vacation spinoff. Matthew Broderick and Danny DeVito compete over Christmas lights in a film so shrill it manages to make both unlikable.
Where to watch: Available to stream; sold on physical media and digitally.
Jingle All the Way 2 (2014)
Larry the Cable Guy replaces Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the magic vanishes faster than Turbo Man on Christmas Eve. Straight-to-video slapstick that somehow makes the original look like It’s a Wonderful Life.
Where to watch: Available to stream; sold on physical media and digitally.
Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie’s Island Adventure (2003)
Chevy Chase wisely sat this one out. Cousin Eddie and his family get stranded on a tropical island for Christmas, and every joke sinks before the first commercial break. Proof that some supporting characters are better left in small doses.
Where to watch: Available to stream; sold on physical media and digitally.
Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe (2009)
Jenny McCarthy returns as Santa’s overworked daughter, but this ABC Family sequel trades the charm of the first for sitcom-level plotting. Even the elves look tired.
Where to watch: Available to stream; sold on physical media and digitally.
Black Christmas (2006 & 2019)
Two remakes of the 1974 classic, and neither gets it right. The 2006 version turned the mystery into gory nonsense, while the 2019 remake leaned so heavily on social commentary that it forgot to be scary. Both miss the quiet dread that made the original a landmark.
Where to watch (2006): Available to stream; sold on physical media and digitally.
Where to watch (2019): Available to stream; sold on physical media and digitally.
Surviving Christmas (2004)
Not a sequel, but the kind of misguided holiday comedy that feels like one. Ben Affleck stars as a rich man who pays a family to celebrate with him. Released in October, buried by critics, and quickly forgotten.
Where to watch: Available to stream; sold on physical media and digitally.
The Grinch (2018, animated)
Benedict Cumberbatch voices the green grouch in a sleek Illumination remake that looks beautiful but feels hollow. It’s watchable, but next to the 1966 Chuck Jones original, it’s like trading nostalgia for neon.
Where to watch: Available to stream; sold on physical media and digitally.
Four Christmases (2008)
Again, not a direct sequel, but it behaves like one — all premise, no payoff. Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon survive four family visits that feel longer than December itself.
Where to watch: Available to stream; sold on physical media and digitally.
Why They Failed
Sequels and remakes work best when they build on something new, but these films simply reheated leftovers. Whether through lazy plotting, forced sentiment, or a lack of the original’s sincerity, they turned Christmas comfort into secondhand embarrassment.
The good news? Watching one of these disasters can make even the most jaded viewer grateful for the classics that got it right.
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