Chris Columbus, best known for his family-friendly hits like Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and Home Alone, has taken an unexpected turn in his career with his involvement as a producer on Robert Eggers’ upcoming film Nosferatu. Drawing from his past experiences on Harry Potter, Columbus revealed how his frustrations with studio interference in his early directorial career directly influenced his approach to filmmaking, particularly when working on this darker, more artistic project.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Columbus recalled an incident while working on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, where he felt restricted by studio executives. The infamous Devil’s Snare scene, he explained, wasn’t up to his standards, and he proposed adding CGI to improve it. However, an executive dismissed his idea, stating that it wasn’t important to the film’s overall success. This kind of attitude, Columbus reflected, motivated him to adopt a “never say no” philosophy in his new role as a producer, ensuring that filmmakers’ creative visions are fully realized, no matter the challenges.
Through his production company, Maiden Voyage, which he founded with his daughter Eleanor, Columbus has been able to apply this mindset to a series of projects. His long-standing collaboration with Eggers, beginning with The Witch, has been a fruitful one, with Columbus acting as both a mentor and creative partner. Eggers praised Columbus for allowing Nosferatu to remain true to his vision while also ensuring the film remained accessible to a broad audience.
Now that Nosferatu has been released, it marks not only a reimagining of a gothic classic but also the evolution of Columbus as a producer willing to bridge the gap between mainstream success and auteur cinema. Do you think Columbus’s “never say no” philosophy will inspire more directors to push creative boundaries?