Credit: DisneyWalt Disney Studios’ claymation classic, The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), recently celebrated its 30th anniversary with a widespread rerelease, introducing the timeless tale to a whole new generation of audiences. Upon its return to theaters, many were left with the same question they’d been asking for over three decades: will there ever be a sequel? Well, creator Tim Burton has finally broken his silence on the matter but may have cast doubt on any prospects of a follow-up film once and for all.
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The macabre love story between the Pumpkin King of Halloween, Jack Skellington (Chris Sarandon/Danny Elfman), and mad scientist Dr. Finklestein’s (William Hickey) clever creation, Sally (Catherine O’Hara), has become a cult classic since its release in 1993, and for a good reason. Whether or not you think The Nightmare Before Christmas is a Halloween movie or, rather, should be reserved for the holiday season, there’s no denying that the film is a charmingly spooky fixture of movie lovers’ yearly rewatches.
With its 30th anniversary celebrations, there’s been much talk about the possibility of a sequel or a reboot. Chris Sarandon and director Henry Selick have been open to the idea of revisiting the property, with the latter telling People last month that “it might be more interesting to do a prequel.”
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However, both the Jack Skellington actor and the film’s original director ultimately seem to defer to one person on all things Nightmare Before Christmas: Tim Burton. And unfortunately, the creative visionary doesn’t seem to keen on returning to Halloween Town anytime soon.
In the same People interview, Selick detailed Burton’s hesitance to pitch a The Nightmare Before Christmas, saying, “I think Tim in particular feels like, why mess with that?” He added, “[Burton] certainly doesn’t need to make more money from a sequel. He has had so many other successes, and so far nobody’s come up with a great idea for a sequel. And I still think that Tim gets to decide. I don’t think there’s any idea that would convince him.”
Now, the man himself is breaking his silence on the prospect of a sequel, and based on his remarks, it doesn’t sound promising. During a recent interview with Empire, the mastermind behind the legendary stop-motion animated film weighed in on the prospect of a sequel to The Nightmare Before Christmas, where he quickly shut down the idea while having some choice words about movie reboots.
Speaking with the publication, the Wednesday showrunner reiterated that the movie is “very important” to him as a filmmaker, explaining that he “doesn’t want” The Nightmare Before Christmas to suffer the same fate as his other movie sequels and reboots. He continued, joking that he feels “like that old guy who owns a little piece of property” who “won’t sell to the big power plant,” a fitting allegory for Disney’s tendency to swoop up beloved IPs for a quick cash grab:
To me the movie is very important. I’ve done sequels, I’ve done other things, I’ve done reboots, I’ve done all that shit, right? I don’t want that to happen to this. It’s nice that people are maybe interested [in another one], but I’m not. I feel like that old guy who owns a little piece of property and won’t sell to the big power plant that wants to take my land.
While some might be disappointed that Burton has no interest in revisiting The Nightmare Before Christmas, there’s something to be said about how he holds the movie in such high regard. Plus, in a day and age when major Hollywood studios are attempting to capitalize on nostalgia and countless remakes, it’s refreshing to see a director doubling down on his vision for the story, despite there being, without doubt, ample opportunity to profit big off of a follow-up film.
Although there’s certainly room for Disney to return to Halloween Town somewhere down the line, given the somewhat open-ended conclusion of the first movie, a property as cherished as The Nightmare Before Christmas should probably be left untouched. In the case of many childhood classics, it’s oftentimes best to go out on a high note, as sequels, prequels, and spinoffs tend to dilute the magic of their predecessors.
Ultimately, there is no Nightmare Before Christmas without Tim Burton, and Disney would have to pull nothing short of a miracle to get him aboard for a sequel. Only time will tell if the iconic filmmaker will have a change of heart someday, but for now, it seems like most fans would agree that the original movie is better left untouched.
Do you think there should be a Nightmare Before Christmas sequel, or is the property perfect as is? Let us know in the comments below!