‘Home Alone’ Director On Disney’s Planned Reboot Of The Movie: ‘What’s The Point?’

When news came out in 2019 that Disney was planning to create a new Home Alone film and reboot the classic film franchise with new actors, fans were not there for it.

Disney said they were planning on “re-imagining” the film, which, they would have to since, you know, cell phones, the internet, doorbells with cameras, those sort of things all exist now.

Someone else who thinks rebooting the Home Alone movies is a really bad idea is the director of the original film, Christopher Columbus.

In a recent interview with Insider to mark the 30th anniversary of the classic Christmas movie, Columbus was asked about the Disney+ remake of his movie and whether he has any involvement in it.

“No, nobody got in touch with me about it, and it’s a waste of time as far as I’m concerned,” said Columbus. “What’s the point? I’m a firm believer that you don’t remake films that have had the longevity of Home Alone. You’re not going to create lightning in a bottle again. It’s just not going to happen. So why do it? It’s like doing a paint-by-numbers version of a Disney animated film — a live-action version of that. What’s the point? It’s been done. Do your own thing. Even if you fail miserably, at least you have come up with something original.

“I can even be accused of it myself, with Home Alone 2. That movie is basically a remake of the first Home Alone. Does it need to exist? Yes, because some of those stunts make me laugh really hard, but I just don’t believe it should be done. There’s going to be a Stoned Alone with Ryan Reynolds. God only knows what that will be — a stoner version of Home Alone? Listen, have fun. I just feel, do something new. Life is short.”

The wide-ranging interview also touched on numerous other Home Alone-related topics, like how Columbus only ended up getting to direct Home Alone after he quit National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation because he couldn’t deal with Chevy Chase, whether Robert De Niro ever really considered taking the role of Harry played by Joe Pesci, how almost all of John Candy’s appearance in the film was improvised, and how Donald Trump demanded to be in Home Alone 2.

“Like most locations in New York City, you just pay a fee and you are allowed to shoot in that location,” Columbus recalled. “We approached The Plaza Hotel, which Trump owned at the time, because we wanted to shoot in the lobby. We couldn’t rebuild The Plaza on a soundstage.

“Trump said okay. We paid the fee, but he also said, ‘The only way you can use the Plaza is if I’m in the movie.’ So we agreed to put him in the movie, and when we screened it for the first time the oddest thing happened: People cheered when Trump showed up on-screen. So I said to my editor, ‘Leave him in the movie. It’s a moment for the audience.’ But he did bully his way into the movie.”

They should get him back for the reboot. Which, by the way, should only be happening if Disney uses Macaulay Culkin’s concept for the film.

The Home Alone reboot is going to be directed by Dan Mazer and star Archie Yates (Jojo Rabbit), Rob Delaney (Deadpool 2), Ellie Kemper (The Office), Ally Maki (Toy Story 4), Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live), Chris Parnell (Saturday Night Live), Aisling Bea (Living with Yourself), Pete Holmes (Crashing), and Timothy Simons (Veep).

Check out the rest of Columbus’ interview over at Insider. It’s very good.