A bizarre encounter with actor Chevy Chase led then-unknown filmmaker Chris Columbus to walk off 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.'

Speaking to Vanity Fair, director Chris Columbus said he had already signed on to direct Christmas Vacation, which was released in 1989, and had begun shooting when he first met Chase.

Chris Columbus, the director behind 'Home Alone' and 'Gremlins,' shared a not-so-merry holiday recollection involving comedian Chevy Chase.

Chris Columbus recalls ‘bizarre’ Chevy Chase remark that made him quit National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation - ‘I still haven’t been able to make any sense out of it,’ director said

The filmmaker opened up with Vanity Fair about the filmmaking process for "Christmas Vacation," the third movie in National Lampoon’s “Vacation” series. He said he worked alongside John Hughes to write the script,

"Home Alone" director Chris Columbus nearly helmed another iconic Christmas movie but said a "surreal" pair of meetings with Chevy Chase made him quit the film.