Why John Cusack Doesn't Return In Hot Tub Time Machine 2 (2024)

Summary

Cusack was replaced in Hot Tub Time Machine 2 to cut costs due to a lower budget than the original.
Cusack's absence was surprising, but he did make a small cameo in an unrated cut of the sequel.
The sequel ended up a box office flop with a significantly lower budget and poor reception.

John Cusack was noticeably missing from Hot Tub Time Machine 2 for a reason not many would come to expect. Five years before the sequel premiered in theaters, Cusack not only featured in the original Hot Tub Time Machine but was one of its four central characters swept back in time via a Kodiak Valley Ski Resort hot tub and challenged to find their way back to their own day and age. Among the time-traveling friends were Cusack's Adam, Rob Corddry's Lou Dorchen, Craig Robinson's Nick Webber, and Adam's nephew Jacob, played by Clark Duke.

At face value, Hot Tub Time Machine is an averagely-reviewed irreverent comedy that grew into somewhat of a cult gem or guilty pleasure due to its brazenly silly script and widely likable cast. Those who had a soft spot for the time travel comedy were rewarded with 2015's Hot Tub Time Machine 2 but became dissatisfied by what the sequel lacked compared to the original. Among the sequel's most considerable disappointments were a far less impressive handling of humor and, more surprisingly, the absence of Cusack in its lead cast.

Title	Tomatometer Score	RT Audience Score
Hot Tub Time Machine 2	14%	26%
Hot Tub Time Machine	64%	56%

Hot Tub Time Machine is available to stream on Netflix, Prime Video, and The Roku Channel.

Hot Tub Time Machine 2 Replaced John Cusack To Cut Production Costs

John Cusack Was Replaced With Adam Scott In The Sequel

Although Cusack was a substantial part of the initial Hot Tub Time Machine, his absence is a little less unusual when considering the amount of money the sequel had to work with.

Despite various sources reporting that he decided not to sign on for the Hot Tub Time Machine sequel, it appears Cusack was never in talks to return. On February 10, 2015 - several days before Hot Tub Time Machine 2 premiered in theaters - a fan inquired on X (then Twitter) why Cusack wasn't in the sequel, to which the actor surprisingly replied, "Keep saying - wasn't asked - not my choice." Although Cusack was a substantial part of the initial Hot Tub Time Machine, his absence is a little less unusual when considering the amount of money the sequel had to work with.

In comparison, the original movie had a production budget of $36 million, while the sequel was left to function with a budget of $14 million (via The Numbers). Presumably, Cusack was omitted and replaced by Adam Scott, who plays Cusack's character's son, to cut production costs and maximize the sequel's markedly lower budget. Ultimately, there was no sweat off Cusack's back, as Hot Tub Time Machine 2 turned out to be a flop, making only $12 million at the worldwide box office and not nearly as much of an impression on audiences.

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John Cusack's Adam Has A Cameo In Hot Tub Time Machine's Unrated Cut

Cusack Appears In A Small But Explosive Cameo

Why John Cusack Doesn't Return In Hot Tub Time Machine 2 (2)

Everything considered, Cusack was still able to make a small Hot Tub Time Machine 2 appearance, except the scene he performed in was cut from the film's theatrical edition. Cusack's cameo can instead be found in Hot Tub Time Machine 2's "Hotter and Wetter Unrated Cut," which, along with the actor's surprise appearance, includes six more minutes of scenes and a few extra raunchier jokes. In the short Hot Tub Time Machine sequel cameo, Cusack appears before the titular time-traveling group, blows Lou's head off with a rifle, and disappears into a portal while remarking that he'll explain later.

Source: X, The Numbers

Hot Tub Time Machine 2

Comedy