Fans of the beloved Home Alone franchise hoping for Macaulay Culkin’s return as Kevin McCallister may have to give up the dream, as director Chris Columbus has firmly ruled out any plans for a reboot.
Columbus, who directed the original 1990 holiday classic and its hit 1992 sequel Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, recently explained why he has no interest in revisiting the films penned by John Hughes. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, he said:
“I think Home Alone really exists as… this very special moment, and you can’t really recapture that. It’s a mistake to try to go back and recapture something we did 35 years ago. I think it should be left alone.”
His comments follow months of speculation, sparked when Culkin hinted in December that he might consider reprising the iconic role—if the conditions were right.
During a special screening and Q&A, the actor joked he would think about it “if the pay was enough,” revealing he had once been offered a role in a later sequel. However, with two young children, Culkin admitted he doesn’t currently have time to develop any new Home Alone ideas.
The original film introduced audiences to eight-year-old Kevin, accidentally left home while his family travels to France for Christmas. Left to fend for himself, Kevin famously sets elaborate traps to thwart two hapless burglars.
After Lost in New York, the series continued without Culkin, producing Home Alone 3 (1997), Home Alone 4 (2002), Home Alone: The Holiday Heist (2012), and Disney’s Home Sweet Home Alone (2021), each with new child stars.
In 2018, Ryan Reynolds was linked to producing an R-rated reimagining titled Stoned Alone, but the project has remained in development limbo.
Columbus’ stance suggests the original magic of Home Alone will likely remain untouched. While various reboots and spin-offs have kept the brand alive, fans longing for a genuine continuation with Culkin may need nothing short of a Christmas miracle to see Kevin McCallister back in action.