Then, in 1989, Chris Columbus — who would go on to direct Home Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire, and the first two Harry Potter movies — was originally hired to direct National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. But after just two meetings with Chase, Columbus quit before filming began. He later said, “I realized I couldn’t work with the guy,” and recalled leaving their second meeting thinking, “He’s not engaged. He’s treating me like shit. I don’t need this.” Columbus has said he badly needed the job at the time, which makes his decision to walk away even more striking.
Our publication features several staff writers, allowing us to report on different events and offer expert perspectives across various subjects.