Home Alone director Chris Columbus addresses whether he would return for a reboot, explaining why it’s not a good idea. Released in 1990, the Christmas movie stars Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister, an eight-year-old troublemaker who must fend off two bumbling burglars after his family forgets to take him on vacation with them.
The film, which also stars Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, and Catherine O’Hara, is widely regarded as a Christmas classic. It was followed by one direct sequel with Culkin, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), and four subsequent films with different actors.
During a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, Columbus makes clear that he won’t be making a Home Alone reboot anytime soon. According to the director, the 1990 film captures something unique that can not be replicated today. Check out his comment below:
“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. 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.”
What This Means For The Home Alone Franchise
Culkin and Columbus both departed the Home Alone franchise after Home Alone 2, with new actors and directors joining for each subsequent installment. Though the 1992 sequel was a hit, every movie afterward saw diminishing returns. This includes 2021’s Home Sweet Home Alone, which attempted to reboot the franchise.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the original Home Alone remains the highest rated with a 66% critics score and an 80% Popcornmeter score. The film grossed a staggering $476 million worldwide. The sequel, by comparison, has a 35% critics score, a 62% Popcornmeter score, and it grossed $358 million worldwide.
Considering none of the five Home Alone sequels and reboots were able to recapture the magic of the original installment, there is certainly something to what Columbus is saying. The combination of Culkin and Columbus is clearly part of what made the original work, but even this pairing could not deliver a sequel of the same quality.
To see just how far the franchise fell after the debut installment, one need only look at Home Sweet Home Alone, which has a 15% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and a truly dismal 13% Popcornmeter score.
Our Take On Chris Columbus’ Home Alone Reboot Thoughts
Considering just how beloved and successful the first two Home Alone movies are, another reboot is probably just a matter of time. There have already been unsubstantiated rumors that Culkin may return for a legacy sequel of sorts, but there’s been nothing official.
The setting and the cast of the original Home Alone remains unmatched, and there’s a reason why it’s widely regarded as one of the best Christmas movies of all time, especially for a certain generation. Though a new take on the idea is undoubtedly going to arrive eventually, Columbus may be right about leaving it alone.
