Credit: DisneyWhile Tim Burton is a world-renowned director and filmmaker, it seems his jealousy may be getting the best of him. That being said, his choices could be the best thing he has done for one of Disney’s most iconic franchises.
Tim Burton, a renowned American filmmaker, artist, and writer, has left an indelible mark on the film industry with his distinctive style characterized by dark, gothic, and whimsical elements, as we have seen time and time again with his creations, like the current Netflix blockbuster, Wednesday. Born in Burbank, California, on August 25, 1958, Burton began his career in animation at Walt Disney Productions, contributing to projects such as The Fox and the Hound and Tron.
His directorial debut, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985), marked the beginning of a career filled with iconic films. Notable works include Beetlejuice (1988), a supernatural comedy-horror film; Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992), the first two instalments in the modern Batman film series; Edward Scissorhands (1990), a fairytale-like story starring Johnny Depp; and The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), a stop-motion animated classic with Burton’s signature characters.
Other significant contributions include Ed Wood (1994), a biographical film about the eccentric director Ed Wood; Sleepy Hollow (1999), a dark fantasy horror film; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), a whimsical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s novel; Corpse Bride (2005), a stop-motion animated film co-directed by Burton; Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007), a musical horror film; and Alice in Wonderland (2010), a visually stunning reimagining of Lewis Carroll’s classic tales.
Burton’s films often explore themes of outsiders, fantasy, and the macabre. His collaborations with actors like Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, coupled with his unique visual style, have solidified his influence on modern cinema, earning him a dedicated fan base and critical acclaim.
One of his biggest Disney creations, however, was The Nightmare Before Christmas. The animated clay creation brings out some of the most unique creations and characters Disney has ever owned, and now, even 30 years later, the film is still one of the most popular Disney IP’s in circulation. Disneyland entirely transforms their Haunted Mansion attraction into Haunted Mansion Holiday starring the cast of the film, and their entire Halloween event is led by Oogie Boogie himself.
At Walt Disney World, guests wait hours to meet Jack and Sally during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
The Nightmare Before Christmas, a stop-motion animated musical directed by Henry Selick and produced by Tim Burton, is a 1993 classic known for its distinctive visual style and captivating characters. The story follows Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, who discovers Christmas Town and decides to take over Christmas with his own spooky twist, leading to humorous misadventures.
The main characters include Jack Skellington, voiced by Chris Sarandon (speaking) and Danny Elfman (singing), Sally, voiced by Catherine O’Hara, Oogie Boogie, voiced by Ken Page, Mayor, voiced by Glenn Shadix, Dr. Finkelstein, voiced by William Hickey, Lock, Shock, and Barrel, voiced by Paul Reubens, Catherine O’Hara, and Danny Elfman, respectively, Santa Claus, voiced by Edward Ivory, and Zero, Jack’s ghost dog.
The film received critical acclaim for its innovative animation, musical score by Danny Elfman, and darkly whimsical storytelling. Notably, it earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects, a rare recognition for an animated film. The soundtrack, including the iconic “This Is Halloween” and the atmospheric score, contributed to the film’s enduring popularity. Over the years, The Nightmare Before Christmas has become a holiday classic, celebrated for its unique charm and imaginative storytelling.
In the past, we have heard rumors about a sequel to the film. At the moment, he is currently wrapping up Beetlejuice 2, a sequel, so that idea of Burton making a second installment to his franchises seemed plausible. Burton, however, quickly shut down any rumors of a second Nightmare Before Christmas, and now, he has gone as far as to “ban” anyone else from touching it.
During an interview, Burton said, “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.” Cue the grumpy old prospector voice: “Get off of my land! You pesky little — you ain’t getting this property! I don’t care what you want to build on it … Where’s my shotgun?”
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From this, we can clearly see that Burton is not willing to allow anyone to have the rights to create another part of the film.
Burton also stated, “To me, the movie is very important,” Burton said. “I’ve done sequels, I’ve done other things, I’ve done reboots, I’ve done all that s–t, 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.”
So, it appears we will not be seeing a Tim Burton, nor anyone’s sequel to The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Would you like to see a sequel to The Nightmare Before Christmas, or would that be a mistake?