For some people, filmmakerChris Columbusis the King of Christmas movies. For others, he’s the guy who set the tone for theHarry Potterfranchise. For another section of people, he’s got a special way of making you laugh and cry in equal measure. Columbus’ career thus far is impossible to sum up in one specific phrase, because it’s as varied as it is accomplished. He got his first break writing a hard R-rated script for a horror movie calledGremlins, then went on to direct two family films that ended up being a pair of the highest grossing movies of all time –Home AloneandHome Alone 2. Throughout the 90s he worked with folks likeRobin WilliamsandJulia Robertsto dig deep into human stories likeMrs. DoubtfireandStepmom, and then in the early 2000s he was tasked with adapting the biggest book around:Harry Potter.
From teen movies to musicals to even accomplished arthouse films (he producedThe WitchandThe Lighthouse), Columbus has really done it all, and he hits more often than he misses. Which is why I jumped at the chance to interview the filmmaker about his latest film, the heartwarming and deeply charming holiday Netflix sequelThe Christmas Chronicles: Part Two.
Columbus graciously agreed to take part in ourCollider Connected series, in which we sit down with filmmakers and performers and take a deep dive into their career thus far. And while I only had limited time, Columbus shared delightful stories about how his love of Hammer horror movies inspired him to become a filmmaker, and how the intense pressure of turning a wildly popular book series into a franchise made him feel like he could be fired at any minute.
Over the course of our 30-minute conversation, Columbus explained how luck played a huge role in getting hisGremlinsscript in front ofSteven Spielbergand talked about his relationship withJohn Hughesand how he landed the directing job ofHome Aloneafter leavingChristmas Vacation. He discussed the immense world-building involved in tacklingHarry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and how the entire production was fraught with anxiety as he was under intense pressure to nail it. He also talked about feeling more relaxed when it came time to makeHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and switching up the visual style of the films with that sequel. We also talked about the hard-hitting stunts ofHome AloneandHome Alone 2and why, when they were being filmed, the entire production was on edge until they knew the stuntman was safe.
And we of course talked aboutThe Christmas Chronicles 2, including why his close friendship withKurt Russellinspired him to co-write and direct the sequel himself and how he and Russell collaborated extremely closely on the script for this new film. Columbus also talked about expanding the mythology of the franchise forChronicles 2, and why the pretty stunningHome Alonehomage within the film caught him by surprise. We also talked about the potential future of the franchise, and the kinds of movies he’d like to make next.
It’s a wide-ranging and insightful interview, and my only regret is that I didn’t have another hour to pepper Columbus with questions. The guy clearly loves film and filmmaking, and is refreshingly candid when it comes to discussing the many iconic films he’s been involved with over the years.
Check out the full interview below followed by a list of what we discussed.The Christmas Chronicles 2is now streaming on Netflix.
