Let’s be honest here, Hot Tub Time Machine is an absolutely absurd film. I mean, with a name like that, it’s clear they weren’t trying to be anything but. The movie sees John Cusack, Rob Corddry, and Craig Robinson’s characters go back in time to the 80s (via a magic hot tub courtesy of Chevy Chase), where ridiculous shenanigans ensue. The film nearly doubled its budget at the box office and garnered a cult-like status on home video, which paved the way for Hot Tub Time Machine 2 in 2015. So, can we look forward to a third installment that will complete the Hot Tub trilogy? It’s certainly possible, as apparently there’s a mind-blowing idea floating around out there.
I recently caught up with Craig Robinson to discuss his new animated film The Bad Guys, and being a huge fan of the absolute nonsense that is Hot Tub Time Machine, I couldn’t help but ask if there’s been any chatter on that front internally. He told me this:
Oh, my friend, the short answer is ‘no.’ But the long answer is ‘absolutely not.’ But I’ll tell you this, (writer) Josh Heald has an idea for part three that is (does ‘mind blown’ movement) so I would like to see that happen. Obviously, it would be a lot of work.
As you can see by the interview clip at the top of this article, Craig Robinson feels some excitement surrounding Hot Tub Time Machine. And although they don’t seem to be actively working on the threequel, he would like to see that happen. It’s nice to know that it’s not the furthest thing from their minds, as he and writer Josh Heald have obviously discussed the potential project at some point over the last seven years since Hot Tub 2’s release.
It would probably be fair to say that Hot Tub Time Machine 2 bombed at the box office, failing to make back the initial budget. Stories like this do tend to find their audience on home video, so it doesn’t mean that Hot Tub 3 is dead in the water. In fact, the long hiatus since the second installment might be good to increase interest, as seeing Cusack, Corddry, and Robinson reunite after all these years would be a real treat for fans. Especially once we learn about this bonkers concept that Josh Heald is cooking up.
By saying it would “be a lot of work,” Craig Robinson is likely referring to just how busy he is. Like the rest of the cast of The Office, Robinson has been working a lot. His latest film, The Bad Guys, has taken down some top contenders at the box office, and he seems pretty proud of the project given the story he told us about Dreamwork’s pitch. The film was released on home video today, June 21, yet still currently holds a spot in the top ten films playing at movie theaters. Not bad, Craig. Not bad.
As for any updates on Hot Tub, we’ll certainly keep you in the loop. And again, you can see The Bad Guys on home video OR in theaters right now. As for everything else that’s coming to cinemas, check out our 2022 movie release schedule.
