Variety reports that the Disney/20th Century Fox collaboration on the Home Alone reboot for Disney+ has found some of it’s cast as Jojo Rabbit’s Archie Yates has landed the lead kid role, which is said to be a brand new character (won’t be Kevin McCallister).
Yates became a breakout highlight of Taika Watitii’s anti-hate satire Jojo Rabbit released by Fox Searchlight back in October.
Also, joining the young actor will be Ellie Kemper (The Office, Kimmy Schmidt) and Rob Delaney (Deadpool 2) are expected to take roles in the film but apparently won’t be playing Yates’ parents.
Could they end up playing crooks in the film or will they be doing something wildly different here?
Dan Mazer is on board to direct the film from a script by Mikey Day and Streeter Seidell.
Sources say Yates will not be playing the iconic Kevin McCallister, but a new character in a similar premise to the original franchise. In the original 1990 film, Kevin, played by Macaulay Culkin, is accidentally left behind while his family heads to Paris over the holidays. During that time, he must protect his house from a pair of burglars, portrayed by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern.
Though originally thought to be Yates’ parents, sources now say Kemper and Delaney will be playing someone else in the film, possibly another couple not related to Yates.
I think most people are curious since they’re not rebooting characters if there might be room for a return of Macaulay Culkin, as he reprised the role for a Google ad not too long ago.
The original 1990 film directed by Chris Columbus released by 20th Century Fox is considered a beloved holiday film and this at least comes off as a bit more respectful as continuing the premise.
Home Alone’s basic premise is that during a family holiday trip a child is left at home by himself and has to protect the house from two bumbling burglars, who are trying to rip-off the entire neighborhood.
It’ll be interesting to see if they even stick with the home invasion/kid left at home aspect of the film.
One way to go is to have a homeless kid break into a wealthy couple’s house while they’re away on a trip to give himself an actual Christmas experience for the first time and then have to protect the homestead from other crooks.
There are five Home Alone movies (I’m shocked as well) with only two of them starring Macaulay Culkin as Kevin along with Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern as the Wet Bandits.
When bratty 8-year-old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) acts out the night before a family trip to Paris, his mother (Catherine O’Hara) makes him sleep in the attic. After the McCallisters mistakenly leave for the airport without Kevin, he awakens to an empty house and assumes his wish to have no family has come true. But his excitement sours when he realizes that two con men (Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern) plan to rob the McCallister residence and that he alone must protect the family home.
SOURCE: VARIETY
