As Americans settle into the holiday season, a new nationwide survey suggests there is at least one festive tradition many viewers agree on disliking.
According to recent research, Home Alone three has emerged as the most hated holiday movie in the United States, a distinction earned decades after its release and despite the enduring popularity of the original franchise.
The survey of two thousand adults asked respondents to identify holiday films they “love to hate,” while also gauging opinions on the most popular movie releases of 2025.
The results offer a snapshot of changing tastes, nostalgia fatigue and shifting expectations in American movie culture.
Released in 1997, Home Alone three marked a significant departure from the original films that starred Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister.
The third installment introduced a new cast, a new storyline and a different tone, choices that critics at the time described as risky.
Over the years, the film has continued to draw criticism from audiences who compare it unfavorably to the first two entries.
In the new poll, thirty one percent of respondents selected it as the most hated holiday movie, placing it well ahead of other frequently mocked seasonal titles.
Jim Carrey’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas from 2000 ranked second, with twenty seven percent saying they enjoyed disliking it.
Jingle All the Way, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, followed at nineteen percent, while Christmas with the Kranks trailed closely behind.
Film historians say the results reflect a broader resistance to franchise films that move too far from their original formula.
“When audiences connect a holiday movie to childhood memories, changes can feel personal,” said Daniel Rothman, a media studies professor at Northwestern University.
“That is especially true when a sequel removes the central character people associate with the story.”
Rothman added that labeling a film as the most hated holiday movie does not necessarily mean it is forgotten.
“In many cases, these movies remain part of the cultural conversation precisely because people debate them every year.”
The survey also examined how Americans viewed movies released in 2025, producing several surprising outcomes.
Disney’s live action Lilo and Stitch ranked first, with twenty percent of respondents naming it as one of their favorite films of the year.
Jurassic World! Rebirth followed closely at nineteen percent. Superhero titles remained competitive, with Superman and Wicked For Good tied at seventeen percent each.
Other films receiving notable support included Sinners and Final Destination: Bloodlines. Meanwhile, Mission Impossible The Final Reckoning landed in ninth place.
At the bottom of the list was Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, which received just four percent of the vote, making it the least selected 2025 release in the survey.
Some moviegoers said the dislike for Home Alone three is less about quality and more about expectations.
“It just does not feel like a real Home Alone movie to me,” said Angela Martinez, a retail manager in Phoenix. “We still watch it sometimes, but mostly to joke about it.”
Others expressed surprise at the strong showing for newer releases. “I did not expect Lilo and Stitch to beat everything else this year,” said Marcus Hill, a college student in Ohio.
“It felt like a comfort movie when people needed one.” Industry analysts expect nostalgia driven debates to continue shaping holiday viewing habits.
Streaming platforms have made it easier for older films to resurface annually, reinforcing labels like most hated holiday movie while also introducing younger audiences to titles they might otherwise miss.
Studios, meanwhile, are likely to study the success of live action remakes and franchise reboots that perform well across age groups.
The survey underscores how deeply personal holiday movies can be for American audiences.
While Home Alone three now carries the informal title of most hated holiday movie, it remains part of a larger tradition of seasonal viewing that blends nostalgia, criticism and cultural memory.
At the same time, the popularity of 2025 releases highlights evolving tastes that continue to reshape the national conversation around film.
