Iconic Director Regrets Making This ’90s Sci-Fi Movie: Find Out Why!

Chris Columbus, the American filmmaker, is best known for directing the first two Harry Potter movies in the early 2000s and for directing the adventures of Kevin McCallister in Home Alone and its sequel. Columbus also boasts credits on Mrs. Doubtfire and as a writer for Gremlins and The Goonies. Amidst this impressive career, there remains one film Columbus wishes he hadn’t made, as he recently revealed on the Awards Chatter podcast, among other anecdotes about his filmography.

Mixed Reception for a Sci-Fi Film

The film in question, starring Robin Williams and produced in the late 90s, is Bicentennial Man. Based on a work by Isaac Asimov, this science fiction film set in the near future follows the mishaps of Andrew, a next-generation domestic robot designed to handle household chores, who eventually shows creativity, develops emotions, and dreams of becoming human.

Despite boasting a decent average viewer rating of 3.598 out of 5 stars on AlloCiné and featuring a remarkable performance by Robin Williams, Columbus’s film did not find its audience upon theatrical release, resulting in box office failure and receiving mostly unfavorable reviews.

“It Was a Mistake.”

Reflecting on the film, Chris Columbus expressed his regrets, explaining that he was not the right director for the project and that the film’s theme simply did not align with his personal style:

“Bicentennial Man was a mistake… Robin [Williams] and I discussed this after making the film,” he shared.

“For me, it was a mistake because I realized then that I was not the right person for it. I’m not the type of director you come to when you want to create a futuristic film. I always struggle with envisioning the future… it’s not what drives me and it’s something I will never understand. So, making a futuristic film was a mistake.”

What did you think of Bicentennial Man?

(Re)discover the trailer for the film…