‘Home Alone’ Reboot Would Be a “Big Mistake,” Director Chris Columbus Insists

As the beloved movie Home Alone nears its 35th anniversary this November, director Chris Columbus is making it clear that he doesn’t want anyone to touch his classic Christmas film. In a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, Columbus said that trying to remake or reboot the 1990 hit would be a big mistake.

The original movie starred Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister, an 8-year-old boy who is accidentally left home alone while his family heads off on a Christmas vacation. Kevin cleverly defends his house from two bumbling burglars, and the film quickly became a holiday favorite.

“I think ‘Home Alone’ really exists as, not at this timepiece, but it was this very special moment, and you can’t really recapture that,” Columbus said. “I think it’s a mistake to try to go back and recapture something we did 35 years ago. I think it should be left alone.”

The movie was a massive success, earning $476 million worldwide and becoming the second-highest-grossing film of 1990. Columbus returned to direct the sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, in 1992. While it earned a bit less, $359 million globally, it still became one of the top-grossing films of that year and cemented Culkin as a child star.

Culkin recently discussed the sequel during an appearance on Hot Ones, explaining why he considers it better than the original. “I got paid more. I think I own 5% of the net,” he said. “And also 15% of the merchandising. So, if you buy a Talkboy I’m like yeah, I’ll take 15% of that. Thank you very much. By the way, buy a Talkboy this Christmas.”

Disney attempted a reboot in 2021 with the Disney+ movie Home Sweet Home Alone. The film starred Archie Yates, known for Jojo Rabbit, as a clever kid left behind while his family travels to Japan. He faced off against robbers played by Ellie Kemper, Rob Delaney, and Kenan Thompson. Dan Mazer, who directed Dirty Grandpa, was behind the reboot.

The remake did not impress critics. Variety described it as “sluggish and stale,” and added, “‘Home Sweet Home Alone’ takes everything audiences loved about the Chris Columbus-directed, John Hughes-penned original and turns it around on them… Mean-spirited, downright sloppy and awkwardly unfunny, this rote feature reboot lacks holiday cheer.”

Columbus’ comments and the poor reception of the Disney+ reboot seem to support his point: some movies, especially holiday classics like Home Alone, should just be left alone. The magic of the original is hard to replicate, and attempts to remake it may never capture what made it so special in the first place.

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