Chris Columbus (filmmaker) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chris Columbus
Columbus at New York Comic Con in 2012
Born	Christopher Joseph Columbus (1958-09-10) September 10, 1958 (age 66) Spangler, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Alma mater	New York University
Occupation	Director producer screenwriter
Years active	1984–present
Spouse(s)	Monica Devereux ​ (m. 1983)​
Children	4

Chris Columbus (born September 10, 1958) is an American filmmaker. He is famous for directing and producing many popular movies that you might have seen! He directed the first two Home Alone films and the first two Harry Potter movies. He also wrote the screenplays for classic adventure films like Gremlins and The Goonies.

Chris Columbus also directed Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), starring Robin Williams. Later, he directed Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010) and the action-comedy Pixels (2015). He also helped produce films like The Help (2011) and the Night at the Museum series.

Columbus started his own film company, 1492 Pictures, in 1995. He also co-founded Maiden Voyage Pictures with his daughter in 2014. He often works with composer John Williams, who created music for Home Alone and the Harry Potter films.

Early Life and Learning About Film

Chris Columbus was born in Spangler, Pennsylvania, and grew up in Champion, Ohio. He was the only child in his family. As a kid, he loved drawing storyboards, which are like comic strips that plan out a movie scene. He even started making his own movies using an 8mm camera in high school!

After high school, he went to New York University's film school, the Tisch School of the Arts. He was a classmate of famous people like screenwriter Charlie Kaufman and actor Alec Baldwin. Even though he got a scholarship, he forgot to renew it. This meant he had to work in a factory to pay for his classes. While working, he secretly wrote a 20-page movie script. One of his teachers later used this script to help him find an agent. Columbus says this experience "saved my life" because it pushed him to succeed in filmmaking.

In 1980, while at NYU, Columbus directed a short film called I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here. This short film was later noticed by the famous director Steven Spielberg.

Chris Columbus's Film Career

Starting Out: Writing and Directing (1984–1990)

Chris Columbus began his professional career in the early 1980s. He wrote the screenplay for a movie called Reckless (1984). He wasn't happy with how that movie turned out. So, he wrote a new script for a comedy-horror film called Gremlins (1984). In 1981, Steven Spielberg called him because he was interested in buying the script! When Gremlins came out, it was a big hit.

After that, Columbus moved to Los Angeles to work for Spielberg's company, Amblin Entertainment. There, he wrote more scripts, including The Goonies and Young Sherlock Holmes (both from 1985).

He then decided to move back to New York City. He wrote episodes for the animated TV show Galaxy High (1986) and helped write Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland (1989). Chris Columbus then started directing his own movies. His first film as a director was the teen comedy Adventures in Babysitting (1987). After that, he wrote and directed Heartbreak Hotel (1988), which didn't do well at the box office.

Home Alone made Macaulay Culkin (pictured in 1991) a child star.

In the late 1980s, filmmaker John Hughes asked Columbus to direct Home Alone (1990). This comedy film is about an eight-year-old boy named Kevin McCallister who has to protect his home from two burglars. Columbus loved the Christmas theme of the script and quickly agreed to direct it. He hired Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard, and Catherine O'Hara for the main roles.

Filming for Home Alone took four months. The movie was released on November 16, 1990, and became a huge success! It earned over $476 million worldwide, costing only $18 million to make. Home Alone was nominated for two Academy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards. It also made Macaulay Culkin a big child star. Critics praised the movie for its funny characters and warm direction. Home Alone is now seen as a "classic" holiday movie.

Comedy and Family Films (1991–2000)

In 1991, Columbus wrote and directed the romantic comedy-drama Only the Lonely (1991). It starred John Candy and Maureen O'Hara. The film got some good reviews but didn't make much money.

In 1992, Columbus returned to direct the sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. The same actors came back for this movie. The story follows Kevin McCallister as he accidentally flies to New York City alone and meets the same burglars again. Home Alone 2 was released on November 20, 1992. It received mixed reviews but was a big hit at the box office, earning $359 million worldwide.

Columbus's next movie was Mrs. Doubtfire (1993). This film is based on a novel about a father who dresses up as a nanny to spend time with his children. It starred Robin Williams, Sally Field, and Pierce Brosnan. Robin Williams was allowed to make up many of his lines, which made everyone on set laugh. The movie was released in November 1993 and got good reviews, especially for Robin Williams's performance. It was also a huge success, earning over $441 million worldwide. Mrs. Doubtfire won an Academy Award for Best Makeup and several Golden Globe Awards.

In 1995, Chris Columbus started his own film company called 1492 Pictures. The name is a fun play on his own name and the year Christopher Columbus reached the Americas. His company produced his next film, Nine Months (1995). This romantic comedy starred Hugh Grant and Julianne Moore. The story is about a man who finds out his girlfriend is pregnant and has to change his life. Even though some critics didn't love it, the movie made $138.5 million.

Columbus then directed Stepmom (1998), a drama starring Julia Roberts, Susan Sarandon, and Ed Harris. The film earned $159.7 million worldwide. Susan Sarandon was even nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her role.

Columbus worked with Robin Williams again for the 1999 film Bicentennial Man. This movie is about a robot who slowly becomes more human and develops feelings. The film was released in December 1999 but didn't do well at the box office. Critics had mixed feelings about it. However, Bicentennial Man was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Makeup.

Harry Potter and Other Big Movies (2001–2010)

Cast of the Harry Potter film series: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, 2011

After reading J. K. Rowling's book Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chris Columbus really wanted to direct the movie version. In 2000, he convinced Warner Bros. to choose him. This film was the first in the Harry Potter movie series. It tells the story of Harry Potter's first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Columbus moved to the United Kingdom with his family to work on the film. He said choosing the actors was "very intense." Eventually, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson were chosen for the main roles. Filming began on September 29, 2000, and lasted for 180 days. The movie premiered in London on November 4, 2001. It was a huge success with both critics and audiences, earning $975.1 million worldwide! People praised the sets, costumes, actors, music, and special effects. It was also nominated for three Academy Awards.

In 2002, Columbus directed the second Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Most of the same actors returned. The story follows Harry Potter's second year at Hogwarts when a secret chamber is opened. The film was released on November 15, 2002. It received similar praise to the first movie and earned $879 million worldwide.

In 2004, Columbus wrote and produced Christmas with the Kranks, a Christmas comedy. It did well at the box office but got mostly negative reviews. That same year, Columbus returned for the third Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. He was tired from directing the first two films, so he decided to be a producer instead, with Alfonso Cuarón directing. This film premiered on May 31, 2004, and was highly praised. It earned $796.9 million worldwide.

After returning to the United States in 2005, Columbus directed Rent, a musical drama. The film had mixed reviews and didn't do well at the box office.

In 2006, Columbus produced Night at the Museum, a fantasy film for kids. It's about a father who works at a museum and discovers that the exhibits come to life at night! He also produced the sequel, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009), which was also a box office success. In 2009, he directed I Love You, Beth Cooper, a comedy that received negative reviews.

Despite that, in 2010, Columbus was hired by 20th Century Fox to direct Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. He also produced this film. It's the first movie in the Percy Jackson series, based on the fantasy books by Rick Riordan. The film received mixed reviews but was a box office success, earning $226.4 million worldwide.

Producing and Pixels (2011–Present)

In 2011, Columbus served as a producer for The Help. This film tells the story of a young white journalist and her relationships with two Black maids during the Civil Rights Movement. The movie was a big success, earning $216.6 million worldwide. It also won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Octavia Spencer.

In 2013, Columbus co-wrote the House of Secrets book series with Ned Vizzini. He also returned as an executive producer for the Percy Jackson sequel, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters. This film earned $200.9 million worldwide. Columbus then produced Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014), the last movie in the Night at the Museum series. It was a financial success and was also Robin Williams's final film before he passed away.

In 2014, Columbus started a new production company called Maiden Voyage Pictures with his daughter, Eleanor. He also co-founded an animation studio called ZAG Animation Studios.

Columbus directed the science fiction comedy Pixels (2015). The movie is based on a short film where aliens attack Earth using classic arcade video games. It starred Adam Sandler, Kevin James, and Michelle Monaghan. Filming took three months, and then special effects were added. Pixels received mixed reviews but earned $244.9 million at the box office.

In 2015, Columbus also produced three other films: the horror movie The Witch, the Italian drama Mediterranea, and a comedy called It Had to Be You. In 2016, he produced The Young Messiah and Tallulah. In 2017, he was an executive producer for Menashe and a producer for Patti Cake$ and I Kill Giants. Columbus also produced The Christmas Chronicles (2018), a family film.

In 2018, it was announced that Columbus would direct a movie based on Five Nights at Freddy's, but he later left the project. In 2019, Columbus joined the producers of The Lighthouse. In 2020, he was an executive producer for the animated adventure film Scoob!. He also directed The Christmas Chronicles 2, a sequel to the film he had produced earlier.

Future Projects

Chris Columbus is planning to direct a remake of a movie called Hello Ghost. He has also written a script for Gremlins 3. In 2024, it was announced that Columbus would direct a film based on the novel The Thursday Murder Club.

How Chris Columbus Makes Films

Chris Columbus's movies often tell stories about families that are a bit different or have problems. He likes to explore characters who are afraid of losing the people they love. He is known as a "sentimental" filmmaker because he often shows real-life family situations. Columbus once said, "One of the themes I've always been fascinated by is a character facing the potential of losing their family and what that means." He also likes to create "emotionally vivid scenes" and is drawn to strong feelings.

He prefers characters who are "everyday American men, women, and children who struggle to uphold family traditions." In 1993, Columbus said, "I can understand the validity of showing people the ugliness of the world, but I also think there is a place for movies to leave people with a sense of hope. If your film isn't going to do that, I just don't think it's worth making." Some people say that Columbus is great at making heartwarming family films, even with young actors who haven't had much training.

Personal Life

Chris Columbus married choreographer Monica Devereux in 1983. They have four children together. His daughter Eleanor had a small role in the first two Harry Potter films. The family lives in San Francisco. Columbus is not related to the explorer Christopher Columbus.

Filmography

Images for kids

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  Ned Vizzini and Columbus at the New York Comic Con, 2012

See also

In Spanish: Chris Columbus para niños

• Chris Columbus's unrealized projects