Chris Columbus Slams 'Home Alone' Sequels That Were Made Without Him: "Sorry to Insult Anybody"

In honor of the 35th anniversary of the comedy Home Alone, the movie's original director, Chris Columbus, and its lead actor, Macaulay Culkin, reunited to discuss the creation of the iconic franchise, its legacy, and its potential future.

The conversation was candid, especially regarding the later sequels.

Chris Columbus and Macaulay Culkin Met to Talk about the 'Home Alone' Franchise

Columbus and Culkin reminisced about the intense filming of the first two films. Stuntmen performed dangerous stunts, Daniel Stern had a live tarantula placed on his face, and Joe Pesci nearly burned his hair off by refusing to wear a protective cap.

Columbus and Culkin emphasized that this exaggerated spirit of realism was the foundation of the movie's success.

They also discussed Home Alone's legacy and how to create a sincere sequel that wouldn't be just another empty reboot.

Chris Columbus Says 'Home Alone' Went Downhill With the Third Movie

Chris Columbus was blunt when he spoke about the subsequent movies that were made without his participation or Macaulay Culkin:

“It's been revisited with really bad sequels. Sorry to insult anybody, but they've completely f*cked it up. It started with Home Alone 3 and then it just went downhill from there; Home Alone 3 is sort of the best of the bunch of the bad movies.”

Macaulay Culkin Has His Own Idea for a Sequel

After years of pondering the return of Kevin McCallister, the actor shared his concept for the sequel. He imagined Kevin growing up, becoming a father and widower whose relationship with his son is severely damaged.

The plot would revolve around the child locking his father in and setting traps, which the experienced Kevin would easily anticipate and defuse. The house would become a metaphor for repairing the broken bond between father and son in this story.

Columbus noted that he has heard about 600 ideas for a sequel over the years. However, the only sequel that would make sense would include Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, and Daniel Stern. Still, he doubts they will all agree to return.

'Home Sweet Home Alone' Has Become the Franchise's Lowest-Rated Movie

Disney's recent reboot of the Home Alone franchise only confirmed Columbus's words.

Home Sweet Home Alone featured only a cameo by Devin Ratray from the original cast and was met with a lukewarm reception from critics and viewers and earned the lowest ratings in the entire series.

The creators opted for a questionable concept: the villains were not criminals but rather loving parents in dire financial straits. Additionally, the protagonist lacked the charm necessary to win over audiences.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Home Sweet Home Alone'?

• Home Sweet Home Alone has 15% from critics and 13% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the movie has a score of 3.6/10.

• On Letterboxd, Home Sweet Home Alone scored 1.4/5.0.

Where to Watch 'Home Sweet Home Alone'?

Home Sweet Home Alone is available to stream on Disney+.