‘Home Alone’ Director Chris Columbus: Disney+ Is ‘Wasting Its Time’ Rebooting the Film

Zack Sharf
·2 min read
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When Disney acquired Fox for $70 billion, it took full ownership of Fox-owned IP that can now be reimagined, rebooted, and remade under the Mouse House. Enter the upcoming Disney+ streaming series “Home Alone,” a reboot of director Chris Columbus and producer/writer John Hughes’ 1990 comedy classic starring Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, and Catherine O’Hara. The film earned over $470 worldwide for Fox and is now getting a Disney spin from “Dirty Grandpa” director Dan Mazer and a cast that includes Archie Yates, Rob Delaney, and Ellie Kemper.

In a new interview with Insider, Columbus rails against the idea of rebooting his beloved comedy favorite. The director revealed nobody from the Disney+ production got in touch with him about jumpstarting a new “Home Alone” television franchise — not that Columbus thinks a “Home Alone” reboot is needed.

“It’s a waste of time as far as I’m concerned. What’s the point?” Columbus said. “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.”

Before the Disney-Fox merger, the latter studio was developing its own reimagining of “Home Alone” called “Stoned Alone.” The plan was for Ryan Reynolds to star in the leading role of an adult stoner who finds himself fending off robbers while alone over the holidays and high on marijuana.

“God only knows what that will be,” Columbus said. “A stoner version of ‘Home Alone’? Listen, have fun. I just feel, do something new. Life is short.”

The “Home Alone” reboot cast for Disney+ also includes Kenan Thompson, Ally Maki, and Chris Parnell. Yates, one of the young breakout performers from Taika Waititi’s Oscar winner “Jojo Rabbit,” is starring in the child role made famous by Culkin. Disney+’s “Home Alone” reboot had been filming when the industry shut down in March amid the pandemic. No release date has been set.

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