Home Alone Originally Had A Different Composer. How An Animated Disney Movie Opened The Door For John Williams’ Iconic Score

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When people talk about John Williams‘ best film scores, Home Alone always comes up. Songs like “Somewhere in My Memory” and “Star of Bethlehem” were key to making Chris Columbus’ 1990 movie a standout film of the ’90s and a beloved Christmas classic. But surprisingly, John Williams wasn’t the first choice to compose the music! I was surprised to learn that, and I suspect many others would be too.

Interestingly, the original composer for Home Alone had to withdraw from the project at the last minute due to a commitment to a Disney animated film. This unexpected turn of events ultimately paved the way for the creation of one of the most beloved movie soundtracks ever made.

Bruce Broughton Had To Drop Out Because Of The Rescuers Down Under

As a huge film music fan, I always find the stories behind the scores fascinating. With Home Alone, the original plan was for Bruce Broughton to compose the music. He was a really talented guy – he’d even been nominated for an Oscar for Silverado a few years before. He was well into working on Home Alone when a conflict came up with another Disney film, The Rescuers Down Under – which, by the way, is a seriously underrated movie. Director Chris Columbus later told Entertainment Weekly that Broughton was almost finished with the score when he got the call letting him know he had to step away.

As we neared the end of filming, Bruce called to say he had a tight deadline with his work on The Rescuers Down Under and wouldn’t be able to compose the music for Home Alone. This left us without a composer for the film.

Honestly, when things started to go wrong, my first instinct was to reach out and see if maybe, just maybe, we could get some help from the best. So I contacted Steven Spielberg, hoping he could put me in touch with John Williams. I figured it was worth a shot to ask if he’d even consider getting involved – his music is just that magical!

I’d known Steven Spielberg for a long time. He connected me with John Williams’ agent, and John loved the film after seeing it. His music truly elevated the movie.

From that point on, the film became legendary, thanks to John Williams’ unforgettable music. His score not only enhanced the movie’s emotional impact but also earned him two additional Academy Award nominations.

John Williams Saw Home Alone As An Opportunity To Write Original Christmas Carols

Soon after Home Alone came out, John Williams appeared on Entertainment Tonight and discussed composing the music for the film. He played some of the movie’s famous tunes and explained that the project allowed him to fulfill a long-held ambition.

I’ve always dreamed of writing Christmas music. It’s a tough goal, considering how much amazing Christmas and church music already exists – spanning hundreds of years! After nearly 30 years as a songwriter, I finally had the chance, and that’s what really attracted me to the project.

Andy Williams achieved his dream by composing some of the most beloved and heartwarming Christmas music ever made. Even today, many people wouldn’t feel complete without watching Home Alone and listening to its memorable soundtrack every year.

You can now stream both Home Alone and its 1992 sequel, Lost in New York, with a Disney+ subscription if you’d like to rewatch them.

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2025-12-23 16:12