This November, we're getting a brand new Home Alone movie. And fittingly enough, you wouldn't even need to leave your own house to see it. That's right; through Disney+, families and other movie lovers will have instant access to Home Sweet Home Alone, the latest installment to the Christmas film franchise, starring Archive Yates, Ellie Kemper, Rob Delaney, and Kenan Thompson. Details remain limited, but as we near closer to its seasonal release, we're learning more information about this new movie, which we'll share with you now. Here's what we know about Home Sweet Home Alone!
Disney+’s Home Sweet Home Alone Will Premiere On November 12, 2021
Just in time for the holidays, Disney+ is giving viewers the gift the laughter with this fall's Home Sweet Home Alone, which will premiere exclusively on the streaming service on November 12, 2021. While there were several Disney movies that shifted from theatrical to streaming, this one was always meant to premiere on the site. Bob Iger said as much when he announced the project back in 2019, and the movie will be easily available for families to watch (and later rewatch) midway through the windy month.
The Movie Stars Jojo Rabbit’s Archie Yates
In his acting debut, newcomer Archie Yates was certainly quite a scene-stealer in Taika Waititi's Jojo Rabbit. Even in a cast filled with seasoned veterans and other promising young stars, including (but not limited to) Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, and Waititi himself, Yates made one of the biggest and best impressions as Yorki, Jojo's misguided best friend. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Disney wanted to give the child actor his own movie, and that's what he'll get with Home Sweet Home Alone, his first starring vehicle. Playing another ill-behaving miscreant, this upcoming Disney+ exclusive will hopefully serve as another strong showcase of the funny child performer's promising — and proven — early talent.
As You'd Expect, This Home Alone Movie Follows A Mischievous Boy Who Protects His Home From Two Intruders
Would you be surprised to know that the new Home Alone movie follows a mischievous boy left to his own devices — home alone, if you will — who must use his wits and bad behavior to take down a pair of intruders? If you are, well, maybe you're not too familiar with this family film franchise. The upcoming Disney+ exclusive isn't going to reinvent the wheel; if it ain't broke, etc. That said, the plot does sound like a slight departure from the original hit... with the keyword being slight, of course.
In this new movie, we follow Max Mercer (Archie Yates), a resourceful, if naughty, young boy who is left behind while his family travels to Japan. When a conniving married couple attempts to retrieve a priceless heirloom located in the Mercer house, Max must protect his house from these no-good thieves at all costs... and he'll do whatever it takes to leave them in the cold.
The Cast Includes Ellie Kemper, Rob Delaney, Kenan Thompson, Pete Holmes, Aisling Bea, Chris Parnell, And More
Along with Archie Yates playing our home alone for the holidays protagonist, Home Sweet Home Alone will also star Ellie Kemper (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Rob Delaney (Deadpool 2), Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live), Pete Holmes (Crashing), Aisling Bea (This Way Up), and Chris Parnell (Rick & Morty). Additionally, rounding out the acting ensemble is Ally Maki (Toy Story 4), Timothy Simons (Veep), and Andy Daly (Review) in supporting roles. Also, screenwriter Mikey Day is expected to play a small part. Not much is known about their respective characters, though we'll learn more about each of their roles soon enough, as we nearing closer to this November release.
Home Sweet Home Alone Is Written By SNL’s Mikey Day And Streeter Seidell
Admittedly, Mikey Day isn't a household name like some of his SNL co-stars just yet. That said, Day is typically a standout player when he's given time to shine on the sketch comedy series, and the Emmy-nominated writer will get some more notoriety this fall, as he crafted the screenplay for Disney+'s Home Sweet Home Alone with fellow award-nominated SNL scribe Streeter Seidell, based on John Hughes' story.
Home Sweet Home Alone won't be Mikey Day's first produced screenplay; the comic also co-wrote and produced 2016's Brother Nature. But the project is quite easily his biggest to date, creatively speaking, and it might pave the way for more writing gigs.
It’s Directed By Dirty Grandpa’s Dan Mazer
Rather intriguingly, Home Sweet Home Alone is directed by Dan Mazer, an established British screenwriter, director, and comedian with few (if any) family film credits to his name. Most notably, Mazer co-wrote and produced Ali G Indahouse, Borat, for which he was Oscar-nominated, and Bruno. He's also a screenwriter on Office Christmas Party, Bridget Jones's Baby, and last year's Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, which resulted in his second Oscar nomination. Additionally, Mazer wrote and directed I Give It A Year and called the shots on Dirty Grandpa, Also, he helmed The Exchange from earlier this year.
While those movies may vary in terms of quality, it's interesting that Disney hired a filmmaker who's known for hard R-rated movies to direct their latest family-friendly reboot. Maybe Dan Mazer's differing comedic instincts will result in a reboot that's comedically a bit different from what we got in the other Home Alone movies? Seems unlikely, I'm sure, but it'll be interesting to what Mazer's influence on the project will be.
Chris Columbus Isn’t Involved In This Newest Home Alone Movie (He Even Called It ‘A Waste Of Time’)
As the director of Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Chris Columbus was obviously crucial to the franchise's success — though he won't be involved in this movie.
By his own admission, the studio didn't reach out to Chris Columbus during the making of this new movie, and the filmmaker didn't take it kindly. In a career retrospective with Insider that ran December 2020, the director didn't mince words when it came to his disapproval of this newest installment, even going so far as to call it "a waste of time" since it won't even attempt to do anything that wasn't accomplished in his original film:
Nobody got in touch with me about it, and it’s a waste of time as far as I’m concerned. 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? It’s like doing a paint-by-numbers version of a Disney animated film — a live-action version of that. What’s the point? It’s been done. Do your own thing.
It’ll Reportedly Feature A Cameo From Macaulay Culkin
Macaulay Culkin is the screaming face of the Home Alone franchise. The A-list child star made himself a household name (no pun intended) through his starring role in this beloved Christmas classic, and if there's one lingering question about this new movie, it's "will they bring Macaulay back?" I mean, is it really a Home Alone film without him?
Admittedly, the actor has been more active in the spotlight in recent years, even poking fun at his role in this movie on a few occasions. Sure enough, according to a report from The Sun, Macaulay Culkin will reportedly appear in this Home Alone reboot in a prominent cameo, and the producers apparently had to pay a hefty price to get him to agree to the part. That report from was back in April 2020, however, so we'll have to wait and see if the original Kevin McAllister does indeed make an appearance in this new movie.
Stream Home Alone on Disney+.
