‘Awards Chatter’ Pod: Chris Columbus on Producing ‘Nosferatu,’ Helming ‘Harry Potter’ and the “Bizarre” Chevy Chase Meeting That Led Him to ‘Home Alon

In this episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast, Chris Columbus, a remarkable filmmaker, discusses his extensive contributions to beloved family movies throughout his career. He is known for writing the iconic 1984 film Gremlins and the 1985 classic The Goonies. Columbus also directed timeless holiday favorites like Home Alone and its sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, both released in the early 1990s, as well as Mrs. Doubtfire in 1993 and the first two Harry Potter films — Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002). What makes Columbus's current project particularly intriguing is that, at 66 years old, he has co-produced a new horror film titled Nosferatu, alongside his daughter Eleanor Columbus, with their production company, Maiden Voyage Productions, which supports emerging filmmakers. This chilling movie, directed by Robert Eggers and featuring stars like Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, and Bill Skarsgård, is set to be released by Focus on Christmas Day.

During a conversation at The Hollywood Reporter's Los Angeles office, Columbus shared the journey of how he transitioned from a working-class background in Ohio to working with Steven Spielberg in his twenties. He recounted his experience of a disastrous encounter with Chevy Chase, which ultimately led him to step down as the director of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. This decision paved the way for him to create Home Alone, a film that has since gained recognition as a true Christmas classic. Columbus talked about how, a decade later, after Home Alone became the highest-grossing comedy in history, he faced a decline in his reputation and had to persuade Warner Bros. and J.K. Rowling to let him direct the Harry Potter movies, for which he also cast the three main characters. He also explained his shift toward producing after the first two Harry Potter films and his commitment to supporting emerging filmmakers, such as Robert Eggers, for whom he served as executive producer on projects like 2015's The Witch and 2019's The Lighthouse.

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