Home Alone is considered one of the best holiday movies in pop culture, and every year at Christmastime, it brings in even more fans, thanks to its permanent home on Disney+. And would have thought that an eight-year-old kid (Macauley Culkin) being left behind would outsmart two master criminals by setting off traps constructed from everyday household items? That's pure genius in terms of storytelling, crafted even better with the cast line-up, including Culkin.
Director Chris Columbus had no idea that Home Alone would be such a success when it debuted in 1990, and so, a sequel, Lost In New York, came out two years later. Like its predecessor, it brought in millions at the Box Office and is now a holiday classic. If you're anything like my family, then you will have Home Alone 1 and 2 on your Christmas Watchlist.
Chris Columbus shares his opinion about redoing Home Alone
Despite remakes that starred none of the original cast members, with the exception of Disney+'s Home Sweet Home Alone (Devin Ratray had a minor role), Columbus revealed to Entertainment Tonight recently that the original shouldn't be rebooted, as its magic was a once-in-a-lifetime encapsulation. If Home Alone were ever to be recreated, it'd be a failure.
"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."
And he's correct on his insight, as Home Alone is the epitome of our childhood Christmases and while we can't go back to them, we have the nostalgia. That's a moment in itself; once it's past though, it ca't be redone, only remembered
Culkin has expressed interest in returning to the Home Alone franchise, but he'll only do so if it meets his financial expectations. There are also his two children to consider, as they rightfully absorb much of his time, which extracts from his writing process.
Why Home Alone being rebooted would be a bad idea
Hollywood has a history of rehashing movies, whether to align with the current agenda or the producers' own spins on the subjects, the goals are relatively the same: to entertain and make a profit. In the past, it was mainly the latter, as movie creation and its reception were crucial to the studios, as moviegoers determined their success. However, one must also realize that there weren't as many studios as there are today. There was less competition, and remakes were few.
Reissues and the Disney+ version aside, Home Alone is one movie that should never be touched. Doing so would be an insult, not only to its legacy and the actors who invested their all into its creation, but also to the fandom, which treasured it (and Lost In New York) for its time in pop culture history, as well as the memories that came with the movies.
If Hollywood needs to produce another holiday smash like Home Alone, then studios must come up with a new and original piece. Many different experiences occur around the holiday season, so why not shift your focus to them to create something fresh? As long as it's Christmas-themed and has a message of hope embedded in it, it'll sleigh highly with moviegoers.