'Home Alone' director Chris Columbus says reboot is 'a waste of time'

Home Alone director Chris Columbus has said that the new take on the franchise being made over at Disney+ is “a waste of time”.

The streaming platform is working on a reimagined version of the Christmas classic, having acquired the rights to the franchise as part of Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox.

Jojo Rabbit star Archie Yates will play the lead role in the new movie and it has been rumoured that original star Macaulay Culkin is receiving a big pay-cheque for a cameo appearance.

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Columbus, though, is very much not on board with whatever Disney+ has planned for the franchise.

“Nobody got in touch with me about it, and it's a waste of time as far as I'm concerned,” said the 62-year-old filmmaker in an interview with Insider.

Watch: Macaulay Culkin reveals eye-catching Home Alone face mask

He added: “What's the point? 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?”

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Columbus compared the idea of remaking Home Alone to making a “paint-by-numbers version of a Disney animated film” in live-action and urged the studio to “do your own thing”.

He added: ”Even if you fail miserably, at least you have come up with something original.”

The director acknowledged that he could be accused of doing the same thing with sequel Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, which he admitted was “basically a remake of the first”.

The Home Alone reboot began filming in February, but had to shut down when the coronavirus pandemic forced Hollywood to down tools.

It is not clear whether the movie — helmed by Borat screenwriter Dan Mazer — has resumed filming since lockdown restrictions began to lift over the summer.

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Culkin delivered his own, uniquely hilarious gag about the Home Alone reboot when it was first announced, but it now seems he may be due to pop up as an older Kevin McAllister.

The original Home Alone film remains a Christmas classic and has already been screened in some UK cinemas this year, with Showcase choosing to bring the festive period to Brits a little early.

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