Debate is still raging as to whether the 1993 stop motion classic The Nightmare Before Christmas is a Halloween or Christmas movie (it’s obviously Christmas c’mon) but one thing most seem to agree on is that we want more of it. Since the original release, we’ve seen a torrent of Jack Skellington merchandise, but the only story extensions have been a couple of manga releases and a young adult novel.
But perhaps there could be some light on the horizon for Halloweentown. Director Henry Selick has discussed the movie in an appearance at the Toronto International Film Festival (as reported by Collider) to promote his new movie Wendell & Wild. First up he poured water on the idea of a proper sequel, explaining that:
“A sequel has come up several times. Initially, they always said, “But it will have to be CG.” And that was a non-starter for me. It certainly was for Tim Burton.”
But perhaps a stop motion short might be easier to sell? Selick sounded much more positive about the idea:
“The idea of a short has never come up in the past… I think that Tim might be open to a short. … It would have to be so refreshing…such a new take to justify making a sequel, but a short makes good sense.”
It may be worth looking at some of the supplementary material for inspiration. Manga series Zero’s Journey shows Jack’s spectral dog being separated from him and the pair searching for one another, and the novel Long Live the Pumpkin Queen explores Sally’s past while revealing other Holiday worlds we didn’t see in the movie.
Disney Plus is clearly hungry for content at the moment and even three decades on from its original release The Nightmare Before Christmas remains a holiday staple and has legions of fans around the world. So c’mon Disney, let’s cash in on that popularity with a new stop motion short!
