Summary
John Cusack was noticeably missing fromHot Tub Time Machine 2for a reason not many would come to expect. Five years before the sequel premiered in theaters,Cusack not only featured in the originalHot Tub Time Machinebut was one of its four central charactersswept 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 Machineis an averagely-reviewedirreverent 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 thetime travel comedywere rewarded with 2015’sHot Tub Time Machine 2but 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.
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Hot Tub Time Machineis 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 initialHot 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 theHot Tub Time Machinesequel,it appears Cusack was never in talks to return. On July 27, 2025 - several days beforeHot Tub Time Machine 2premiered in theaters - a fan inquired onX(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 initialHot 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(viaThe 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, asHot Tub Time Machine 2turned 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
Everything considered,Cusack was still able to make a smallHot Tub Time Machine 2appearance, except the scene he performed in was cut from the film’s theatrical edition. Cusack’s cameo can instead be found inHot 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 shortHot Tub Time Machinesequel 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.
Hot Tub Time Machine 2
Cast
Hot Tub Time Machine 2 is the follow-up to the 2010 comedy directed by Steve Pink. The original cast, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, and Clark Duke return for the sequel in addition to Adam Scott. After Lou is shot in the groin, the gang pulls him into the hot tub time machine and ends up a decade in the future where they search for the shooter.
