Chris Columbus, the director of the original Home Alone and its first sequel, believes that rebooting the beloved holiday classic would be a "mistake". As the film approaches its 35th anniversary this November, Columbus has expressed his concerns about recapturing the magic of the original.
Columbus directed both the original Home Alone (1990) and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992). Both films are cherished by audiences and are considered holiday staples. The first film was a box office hit, grossing $476 million worldwide, while the sequel earned $359 million worldwide. The success of these films is attributed to the "dream team" of Columbus, writer John Hughes, and star Macaulay Culkin.
Columbus explained to Entertainment Tonight that "Home Alone really exists as, not at this timepiece, but it was this very special moment, and you can't really recapture that". He added, "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". Columbus isn't keen on returning to the franchise, even with Culkin.
Columbus justified making Lost in New York by highlighting its proximity to the original movie. "That was immediate, so we had the same cast and everyone was about the same age," he said. He also noted that he didn't expect the original Home Alone to maintain an audience 35 years later. "We wanted people to still enjoy the movie 20 years down the road, but we had no concept that it would still be sort of this locomotive that keeps going after all these years," he explained.
The director's comments come after the release of Home Sweet Home Alone on Disney+ in 2021, which Columbus believes was a misstep. The film, starring Archie Yates, received largely negative reviews. Katie Rife of The A.V. Club described it as "one of those 21st-century sequels that cares more about inserting Easter eggs for the original film than it does providing similar entertainment value".
Columbus isn't against all reboots. He believes the upcoming Harry Potter television reboot is a "spectacular idea" because the series format allows for more content from the books to be included.
Macaulay Culkin has also weighed in on the possibility of a Home Alone sequel. At a Q&A event in December 2024, Culkin shared his idea for a potential follow-up: "I'm kind of almost like an absentee dad, and my kid locks me out," the actor said. "Then he sets up the traps and I'm trying to get back in. The house would be a metaphor for ... I'm breaking into my son's heart. So, generally speaking, yes ... it depends on the script and stuff like that. But that'd be fun". However, Culkin has also stated that he doesn't "have time to write anything with my two children".
Columbus understands that Home Alone is a classic because it captures a specific era with impeccable chemistry among the cast. He feels it would be challenging to replicate that same feeling without all the original elements in place. A key element of the original Home Alone's success was the technology and cultural norms of the time. The lack of cell phones and the vulnerability of phone lines made it believable that Kevin could be left home alone without easy access to his parents. Columbus's perspective echoes similar sentiments he expressed regarding a Mrs. Doubtfire remake without Robin Williams. He stated it would be "impossible" to recapture the magic of the original without Williams.
