:The Nightmare Before Christmas

Halloween Town is a fantasy world populated by various monsters and supernatural beings. Jack Skellington, the well-respected Pumpkin King, leads the town in organizing the annual Halloween celebrations. This year however, Jack grows tired of the same routine and longs for something new. Upon discovering trees containing doors to other holiday-themed worlds, Jack stumbles through the one leading to Christmas Town and is fascinated by the unfamiliar holiday.

Jack returns home and shares his discovery with his friends and neighbors, but they struggle to grasp the concept of Christmas, although there is one character in Christmas Town they can relate to, a mighty lobster-like king, who is known as "Sandy Claws". After several futile attempts at finding a way to rationally explain Christmas, Jack decides to "improve" the holiday instead. He announces that Halloween Town will take over Christmas this year and assigns Christmas-themed jobs, such as singing carols, making presents and building a sleigh pulled by skeletal reindeer, to various residents.

Sally, the creation of local mad scientist Doctor Finkelstein, experiences a vision predicting that their efforts will end disastrously. Jack, whom she secretly loves, dismisses her warnings and instructs her to make a Santa Claus suit for him. He tasks mischievous trick-or-treating trio Lock, Shock and Barrel with abducting Santa; however, he orders them not to involve their superior Oogie Boogie, a bogeyman with a passion for gambling, in their plot.

When Lock, Shock and Barrel bring Santa to Halloween Town, Jack, surprised that he is not the clawed man he expected, tells Santa that he will take care of Christmas this year and orders the trio to keep Santa safe. However, they disobey Jack's orders and bring Santa to Oogie, who plots to play a game with Santa's life at stake. As Jack departs to deliver presents in the real world, Sally (after failing to stop Jack from carrying out his plans) attempts to rescue Santa from Oogie, only to be captured herself.

Jack's presents terrify the real world's populace, who contact the local authorities and are instructed to lock down their homes for protection. The military is alerted and Jack is shot out of the sky, leading Halloween Town's populace to believe he is dead. It is revealed that he survived and has crashed into a cemetery. Bemoaning the trouble that he has caused, Jack realizes he nonetheless enjoyed the experience and that it gave him new ideas for celebrating Halloween, reigniting his love for the holiday.

Upon returning home, Jack rescues Santa and Sally, confronts Oogie and defeats him by unraveling a thread holding his cloth form together, causing all of the bugs inside Oogie to spill out and reduce him to nothing. Though displeased with Jack for his foolish actions and not listening to Sally earlier, Santa makes amends with Jack and resumes his yearly duties, replacing Jack's presents with genuine ones.

All of Halloween Town celebrates Jack's return. Santa brings a snowfall to the town, thereby bringing the Christmas spirit upon it, while Jack and Sally finally declare their love for each other on top of the Spiral Hill.

{{Anchor|Cast}}

{{Main|List of The Nightmare Before Christmas characters}}

{{multiple image

| caption_align = center

| footer = The voices for Jack Skellington's spoken lines and Sally were respectively provided by Sarandon and O'Hara.

| image1 = Chris Sarandon July 2017.jpg

| alt1 =

| caption1 = Chris Sarandon (2017)

| total_width = 350

| image2 = CATHERINE OHARA.jpg

| alt2 =

| caption2 = Catherine O'Hara (2005)

}}

• Chris Sarandon (speaking voice) and Danny Elfman (singing voice) as Jack Skellington, a skeleton known as the "Pumpkin King" of Halloween Town. Elfman was initially cast as Jack's singing voice and, after the songs were recorded, Sarandon was cast to match Elfman's voice style.{{cite news|last1=Lammers|first1=Tim|title=Sarandon remains proud of 'Nightmare Before Christmas' as film classic turns 20|url=https://www.4029tv.com/entertainment/chris-sarandon-the-nightmare-before-christmas/22690534|access-date=September 25, 2016|work=Strictly Cinema|date=October 29, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927074858/http://www.4029tv.com/entertainment/chris-sarandon-the-nightmare-before-christmas/22690534|archive-date=September 27, 2016|url-status=live}}
• Elfman also voices:
• Barrel, one of the trick-or-treaters working for Oogie Boogie.
• The Clown with the Tear-Away Face, a demonic entity disguised as a unicycle-riding clown.
• Catherine O'Hara as:
• Sally, a rag doll-like creation of Finkelstein and Jack's love interest. She is a toxicologist who uses various types of poison to liberate herself from the captivity of her creator. She is psychic and has premonitions when something bad is about to happen. O'Hara had previously co-starred in Burton's Beetlejuice.
• Shock, one of the trick-or-treaters working for Oogie Boogie.
• William Hickey as Doctor Finkelstein, a mad scientist and the loving and overbearing creator of Sally. He is listed in the credits only as "Evil Scientist" and is only mentioned by name twice in the film.
• Glenn Shadix as the Mayor of Halloween Town, an enthusiastic leader who conducts town meetings. His double-sided head spins between a "happy" and "sad" face, mirroring his wild mood swings; where some career politicians are described as figuratively two-faced, the mayor is literally so. Shadix and Burton had previously worked on Beetlejuice.
• Paul Reubens as Lock, one of the trick-or-treaters working for Oogie Boogie. Reubens and Burton had previously worked on Pee-wee's Big Adventure and Batman Returns.
• Ken Page as Oogie Boogie, a villainous bogeyman in Halloween Town, who has a passion for gambling and rivalry with Jack
• Ed Ivory as Santa Claus, the ruler of Christmas Town. Santa is responsible for the annual celebration of Christmas, in which he delivers presents to children in the real world. He is also referred to by Jack and Halloween Town's residents as "Sandy Claws". Ivory also provides the brief narration at the start of the film.
• Joe Ranft as Igor (uncredited), one of Doctor Finkelstein's creations and his lab assistant

The cast also features Debi Durst, Greg Proops, Kerry Katz, Randy Crenshaw, Sherwood Ball, Carmen Twillie, Glenn Walters, and John Morris voicing various characters.

Patrick Stewart recorded narration for a prologue and epilogue. While not used in the final film, the narration is included on the soundtrack album.{{cite web |title=Patrick Stewart Reads The Nightmare Before Christmas Poem |url=https://www.themarysue.com/patrick-stewart-nightmare-before-christmas/ |website=The Mary Sue |date=December 16, 2013 |access-date=14 October 2019 |archive-date=October 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191014144149/https://www.themarysue.com/patrick-stewart-nightmare-before-christmas/ |url-status=live}}

{{multiple image

| footer = Director Henry Selick and producer/creator Tim Burton

| image1 = Henry Selick 2009 (cropped).jpg

| alt1 =

| caption1 =

| total_width = 350

| image2 = Tim Burton (7587109150).jpg

| alt2 =

| caption2 =

}}

As writer Tim Burton's upbringing in Burbank, California, was associated with the feeling of solitude, the filmmaker was largely fascinated by holidays during his childhood. "Anytime there was Christmas or Halloween, […] it was great. It gave you some sort of texture all of a sudden that wasn't there before," Burton would later recall. After completing his short film Vincent in 1982,{{cite news | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-10-10-ca-44372-story.html | title = The Concept: Jack-o'-Santa : Tim Burton's new movie for Disney isn't exactly a steal-Christmas-kind-of-thing. It's more like a borrow-it-and-give-it-a-weird-twist-kind-of-thing | date = October 10, 1993 | author = Simpson, Blaise | work = Los Angeles Times | pages = 1–4 | access-date = April 20, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171129173750/http://articles.latimes.com/1993-10-10/entertainment/ca-44372_1_tim-burton-s-new-movie | archive-date = November 29, 2017 | url-status = live }} Burton, who was then employed at Walt Disney Feature Animation, wrote a three-page poem titled The Nightmare Before Christmas, drawing inspiration from television specials of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! and the poem A Visit from St. Nicholas.Tim Burton, Henry Selick, [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1028555/ The Making of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170210233646/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1028555/ |date=February 10, 2017 }}, 2000, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Burton intended to adapt the poem into a television special with the narration spoken by his favorite actor, Vincent Price,{{cite news| title = Tim Burton's Big Adventure | author = Carr, Jay | date = October 17, 1993 | work = The Boston Globe}} but also considered other options such as a children's book.{{cite book| title = Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas: The Film, The Art, The Vision | author = Thompson, Frank T. | date = October 14, 1993 | page = 8 | publisher = Disney Editions | isbn = 9780786880669 | oclc = 28294626}} He created concept art and storyboards for the project in collaboration with Rick Heinrichs, who also sculpted character models;Avins, Mimi (November 1993). "Ghoul World". Premiere: pp. 24–30. Retrieved on September 26, 2008.{{cite web | url = http://movies.about.com/od/nightmarebeforechristmas/a/nightmare082508.htm | title = Director Henry Selick Interview – The Nightmare Before Christmas | author = Topel, Fred | date = August 25, 2008 | work = About.com | access-date = May 27, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080925081930/http://movies.about.com/od/nightmarebeforechristmas/a/nightmare082508.htm | archive-date = September 25, 2008 | url-status = live }} Burton later showed his and Heinrichs' works-in-progress to Henry Selick, also a Disney animator at the time. After the success of Vincent in 1982, Disney started to consider developing The Nightmare Before Christmas as either a short film or 30-minute holiday television special. However, the project's development eventually stalled, as its tone seemed "too weird" to the company.{{cite news | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-01-20-ca-1122-story.html | title = Dusting Off Burton | author = Broeske, Pat H. | date = January 20, 1991 | work = Los Angeles Times | access-date = May 26, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131018171438/http://articles.latimes.com/1991-01-20/entertainment/ca-1122_1_tim-burton | archive-date = October 18, 2013 | url-status = live }} As Disney was unable to "offer his nocturnal loners enough scope", Burton was fired from the studio in 1984 and went on to direct the commercially successful films Beetlejuice (1988) and Batman (1989) for Warner Bros. Pictures.

Over the years, Burton regularly thought about the project. In 1990, Burton found out that Disney still owned the film rights.{{cite news|last1=Simpson|first1=Blaise|title=The Concept: Jack-o'-Santa : Tim Burton's new movie for Disney isn't exactly a steal-Christmas-kind-of-thing. It's more like a borrow-it-and-give-it-a-weird-twist-kind-of-thing|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-10-10-ca-44372-story.html|access-date=September 25, 2016|work=Los Angeles Times|date=October 10, 1993|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305213621/http://articles.latimes.com/1993-10-10/entertainment/ca-44372_1_tim-burton-s-new-movie|archive-date=March 5, 2016|url-status=live}} He and Selick committed to produce a full-length film expanding on the poem's storyline with the latter as director. Selick chose not to work with MTV for a series based on his short film Slow Bob in the Lower Dimensions to direct this film.{{cite web | url=https://filmschoolrejects.com/23-things-we-learned-from-the-nightmare-before-christmas-commentary-f6e636202f13/ | title=23 Things We Learned from 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' Commentary | date=November 29, 2013 }} Burton's own success with live-action films piqued the interest of Walt Disney Studios chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg, who saw the film as an opportunity to continue the studio's streak of recent successes in feature animation.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mouseplanet.com/12183/The_Making_of_Tim_Burtons_The_Nightmare_Before_Christmas__Part_One|title=The Making of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas – Part One|last=Korkis|first=Jim|date=September 5, 2018|website=Mouse Planet.com|access-date=September 5, 2018}} Disney was looking forward to Nightmare "to show capabilities of technical and storytelling achievements that were present in Who Framed Roger Rabbit."{{cite web | url = https://variety.com/1993/digital/news/bv-toons-up-down-under-104069/ | title = BV toons up down under | work = Variety | date = February 18, 1993 | access-date = September 26, 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121105131726/http://www.variety.com/article/VR104069 | archive-date = November 5, 2012 | url-status = live }} Walt Disney Pictures president David Hoberman believed the film would prove to be a creative achievement for Disney's image, elaborating "we can think outside the envelope. We can do different and unusual things."

Nightmare marked Burton's third consecutive film with a Christmas setting. Burton could not direct because of his commitment to Batman Returns, and he did not want to be involved with "the painstakingly slow process of stop motion". To adapt his poem into a screenplay, Burton approached Michael McDowell, his collaborator on Beetlejuice. McDowell and Burton experienced creative differences, which convinced Burton to make the film as a musical with lyrics and compositions by frequent collaborator Danny Elfman. Elfman and Burton created a rough storyline and two-thirds of the film's songs.{{cite book | author = Mark Salisbury, Tim Burton | title = Burton on Burton | publisher = Faber and Faber | year = 2006 | location = London | pages = 121–127 | isbn = 0-571-22926-3 }} Elfman found writing Nightmare{{'}}s eleven songs to be "one of the easiest jobs I've ever had. I had a lot in common with Jack Skellington." Caroline Thompson had yet to be hired to write the screenplay. With Thompson's screenplay, Selick stated, "there are very few lines of dialogue that are Caroline's. She became busy on other films and we were constantly rewriting, re-configuring and developing the film visually." Thompson clashed with Burton and he also destroyed the editing machine after she said she wanted to redraft the film's ending.{{cite web | url=https://www.businessinsider.com/the-nightmare-before-christmas-behind-the-scenes-screenwriter-caroline-thompson-2020-12 | title=Screaming, smashing editing machines and a 'snorted salary': Inside the tumultuous making of 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' | website=Business Insider }}

Selick and his team of animators began production in July 1991 in San Francisco, California, with a crew of over 120 workers, utilizing 20 sound stages for filming.{{cite news | author = Jones, Bill | title = He Kept His Nightmare Alive | date = October 22, 1993 | work = The Phoenix Gazette}}https://www.sfgate.com/sf-culture/article/The-Nightmare-Before-Christmas-filming-in-SF-16714266.php Joe Ranft was hired from Disney as a storyboard supervisor, while Eric Leighton was hired to supervise animation.{{cite news | first = Scott | last = Collura | url = https://www.ign.com/articles/2006/10/20/the-nightmare-before-christmas-3-d-13-years-and-three-dimensions-later | title = The Nightmare Before Christmas 3-D: 13 Years and Three Dimensions Later | work = IGN | date = October 21, 2006 | access-date = March 22, 2021 | archive-date = August 25, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120825183122/http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/10/20/the-nightmare-before-christmas-3-d-13-years-and-three-dimensions-later | url-status = live }} At the peak of production, 20 individual stages were simultaneously being used for filming.{{cite magazine|title=Nightmare: Truly the Stuff of Dreams|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|issue=53|publisher=EGM Media, LLC|date=December 1993|page=357}}{{cite web | url=https://theasc.com/articles/nightmare-before-christmas | title=Stop Motion Without Compromise: The Nightmare Before Christmas }} In total, there were 109,440 frames taken for the film. The work of Ray Harryhausen, Ladislas Starevich, Edward Gorey, Étienne Delessert, Gahan Wilson, Charles Addams, Jan Lenica, Francis Bacon, and Wassily Kandinsky influenced the filmmakers. Selick described the production design as akin to a pop-up book. In addition, Selick stated, "When we reach Halloween Town, it's entirely German Expressionism. When Jack enters Christmas Town, it's an outrageous Dr. Seuss-esque setpiece. Finally, when Jack is delivering presents in the 'Real World', everything is plain, simple and perfectly aligned."Henry Selick, [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0468757/ Pete Kozachik] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170220124515/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0468757/ |date=February 20, 2017 }}, DVD audio commentary, 2000, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Vincent Price, Don Ameche, and James Earl Jones were considered to provide the narration for the film's prologue; however, all proved difficult to cast, and the producers instead hired local voice artist Ed Ivory.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/henry-selick-on-directing-the-nightmare-before-christmas|title=Henry Selick on Directing 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'|last=Stern|first=Marlow|date=October 29, 2013|work=The Daily Beast|access-date=September 25, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927061210/http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/10/29/henry-selick-on-directing-the-nightmare-before-christmas.html|archive-date=September 27, 2016|url-status=live}} Patrick Stewart provided the prologue narration for the film's soundtrack.

On the direction of the film, Selick reflected, "It's as though [Burton] laid the egg, and I sat on it and hatched it. He wasn't involved in a hands-on way, but his hand is in it. It was my job to make it look like 'a Tim Burton film', which is not so different from my own films."David Helpern (December 1994). "Animated Dreams", Sight & Sound, pp. 33—37. Retrieved on September 26, 2008. When asked about Burton's involvement, Selick claimed, "I don't want to take away from Tim, but he was not in San Francisco when we made it. He came up five times over two years, and spent no more than eight or ten days in total." Walt Disney Feature Animation contributed with digital effects and some second-layering traditional animation.Salisbury, Burton, p.115—120 Burton found production somewhat difficult, because he was simultaneously filming Batman Returns and in pre-production for Ed Wood.

The filmmakers constructed 227 puppets to represent the characters in the movie, with Jack Skellington having "around four hundred heads", allowing the expression of every possible emotion.Richard Rickitt, Special Effects: The History and Technique (Watson-Guptill, 2000), 159-[https://books.google.com/books?id=U3hH9z24c80C&dq=%22Jack+Skellington%22+%22character%22&pg=PA160 160] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611031736/https://books.google.com/books?id=U3hH9z24c80C&pg=PA160&dq=%22Jack+Skellington%22+%22character%22&lr=&ei=iaEbScyWL4HWMJfy2aYM#PPA160,M1 |date=June 11, 2020 }}. Sally's mouth movements "were animated through the replacement method. During the animation process, […] only Sally's face 'mask' was removed in order to preserve the order of her long, red hair. Sally had ten types of faces, each made with a series of eleven expressions (e.g. eyes open and closed, and various facial poses) and synchronized mouth movements."Maureen Furniss, Art in motion: animation aesthetics (1998), [https://books.google.com/books?id=aQ4mrirF5nkC&dq=Sally+%22Nightmare+Before+Christmas%22+greatest+characters&pg=RA1-PA168 168] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130624203233/http://books.google.com/books?id=aQ4mrirF5nkC&pg=RA1-PA168&dq=Sally+%22Nightmare+Before+Christmas%22+greatest+characters |date=June 24, 2013 }}. The stop-motion figurine of Jack was reused in James and the Giant Peach (also directed by Selick) as Captain Jack.{{Cite web |date=2021-12-13 |title=The long production of 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' |url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-painstakingly-long-production-of-the-nightmare-before-christmas/ |access-date=2023-02-04 |website=faroutmagazine.co.uk |language=en-US |archive-date=February 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204145354/https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-painstakingly-long-production-of-the-nightmare-before-christmas/ |url-status=live }}

{{Main|The Nightmare Before Christmas (soundtrack)|Nightmare Revisited}}

File:20220610 dannyelfman by sachynmital (cropped).jpg]]

The film's soundtrack album was released in 1993 on Walt Disney Records. The film's soundtrack contains bonus tracks, including a longer prologue and an extra epilogue, both narrated by Sir Patrick Stewart. For the film's 2006 re-release in Disney Digital 3-D, a special edition of the soundtrack was released, featuring a bonus disc that contained covers of five of the film's songs by Fall Out Boy, Panic! at the Disco, Marilyn Manson, Fiona Apple, and She Wants Revenge. Four original demo tracks by Elfman were also included.{{cite news | first = James | last = Montgomery | url = http://www.mtv.com/news/1539534/fall-out-boy-panic-marilyn-manson-add-to-new-nightmare-before-christmas-soundtrack/ | title = Fall Out Boy, Panic, Marilyn Manson Add To New 'Nightmare Before Christmas' Soundtrack | access-date = November 29, 2008 | date = August 28, 2006 | work = MTV News | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081205130524/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1539534/20060828/fall_out_boy.jhtml?headlines=true | archive-date = December 5, 2008 | url-status = dead }} On September 30, 2008, Disney released the cover album Nightmare Revisited, featuring artists such as Amy Lee, Flyleaf, Korn, Rise Against, Plain White T's, The All-American Rejects, and many more.{{cite web |title=Marilyn Manson, Sparklehorse, KoRn on 'Nightmare' soundtrack |url=https://www.spin.com/2008/09/exclusive-album-stream-marilyn-manson-sparklehorse-korn-nightmare-soundtrack/ |website=Spin |date=September 26, 2008 |access-date=14 October 2019 |archive-date=October 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191014144709/https://www.spin.com/2008/09/exclusive-album-stream-marilyn-manson-sparklehorse-korn-nightmare-soundtrack/ |url-status=live }}

American gothic rock band London After Midnight featured a cover of "Sally's Song" on their 1998 album Oddities. LiLi Roquelin performed a French cover of "Sally's Song" on her album Will you hate the rest of the world or will you renew your life? in 2010. Pentatonix released a cover of "Making Christmas" for their 2018 Christmas album Christmas Is Here!.{{cite magazine |title=Pentatonix Release 'Making Christmas' Video |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/holiday/8478512/pentatonix-making-christmas-video |magazine=Billboard |access-date=14 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191014144740/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/holiday/8478512/pentatonix-making-christmas-video |archive-date=October 14, 2019 |url-status=live }}

In 2003, the Disneyland Haunted Mansion Holiday soundtrack CD was released. Although most of the album's songs are not original ones from the film, one song is a medley of "Making Christmas", "What's This?", and "Kidnap the Sandy Claws". Other songs included are original holiday songs changed to incorporate the theme of the film. However, the last song is the soundtrack for the Disneyland Haunted Mansion Holiday ride.

The Nightmare Before Christmas was originally going to be released under Walt Disney Pictures as part of the Walt Disney Feature Animation lineup (as was advertised as Walt Disney Pictures in the behind the scenes sneak peek on the 1993 VHS release of Pinocchio), but Disney decided to release the film under the studio's adult-oriented Touchstone Pictures banner, because the studio thought the film would be "too dark and scary for kids," Selick remembered. "Their biggest fear, and why it was kind of a stepchild project, [was] they were afraid of their core audience hating the film and not coming."{{cite news | first = Scott | last = Collura | url = https://www.ign.com/articles/2006/10/20/the-nightmare-before-christmas-3-d-13-years-and-three-dimensions-later | title = The Nightmare Before Christmas 3-D: 13 Years and Three Dimensions Later | work = IGN | date = October 21, 2006 | access-date = March 22, 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120825183122/http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/10/20/the-nightmare-before-christmas-3-d-13-years-and-three-dimensions-later | archive-date = August 25, 2012 | url-status = live }} To convey Burton's involvement and attract a wider audience, Disney marketed the film as Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. According to Selick, the decision was made approximately three weeks before the film went into wide release.{{Cite news |last=Selick |first=Henry |date=November 1, 2022 |title=The Nightmare Before Christmas director Henry Selick is humbly asking for a little bit of credit |url=https://www.avclub.com/henry-selick-nightmare-before-christmas-tim-burton-1849728445 |access-date=September 20, 2024 |work=The A.V. Club}} Burton explained that, "…it turned more into more of a brand-name thing, it turned into something else, which I'm not quite sure about." The film made its world premiere on the opening day celebration of the New York Film Festival on October 9, 1993,{{cite news | author = John Evan Prook | url = https://www.variety.com/article/VR109733 | title = Christmas comes to N.Y. Film Fest | work = Variety | date = August 18, 1993 | access-date = September 26, 2008 | archive-date = November 5, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121105131752/http://www.variety.com/article/VR109733 | url-status = dead }} and was given a limited release on October 13, 1993, before its wide theatrical release on October 29, 1993.

The Nightmare Before Christmas was reissued under the Walt Disney Pictures label and re-released on October 20, 2006, with conversion to Disney Digital 3-D, and was accompanied by Pixar's short film Knick Knack. Industrial Light & Magic assisted in the process. It subsequently re-released on October 19, 2007, October 24, 2008, and October 23, 2009.[https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=releases&id=nightmarebeforechristmas.htm "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190421063553/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=releases&id=nightmarebeforechristmas.htm |date=April 21, 2019 }}, Releases, Box Office Mojo, Retrieved September 18, 2009 The El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California, has been showing the film in 4-D screenings annually in October, ending on Halloween, since 2010.{{cite web|url=http://geeksofdoom.com/2010/10/12/tim-burtons-the-nightmare-before-christmas-to-use-4d-in-special-event|title=Tim Burton's 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' To Use 4D in Special Event|work=Geeksofdoom.com|date=October 12, 2010|access-date=October 14, 2010}} The reissues have led to a reemergence of 3-D films and advances in RealD Cinema.{{cite news|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/04/27/real-d-the-future-of-cinema|title=Real D: The Future of Cinema|date=April 27, 2007|work=IGN|first=Cam|last=Shea|access-date=September 26, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080918231519/http://movies.ign.com/articles/784/784033p1.html|archive-date=September 18, 2008|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1543596/20061019/story.jhtml|title=How Burton's Fever Dream Spawned Nightmare Before Christmas|date=October 20, 2006|work=MTV|first1=Shawn|last1=Adler|first2=Larry|last2=Carroll|access-date=September 27, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090113103857/http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1543596/20061019/story.jhtml|archive-date=January 13, 2009|url-status=dead}}

In October 2020, The Nightmare Before Christmas was re-released in 2,194 theaters. It grossed $1.3 million over the weekend, finishing fourth behind Tenet.{{Cite web|title=Domestic 2020 Weekend 42|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/2020W42/?ref_=bo_we_nav|access-date=2020-10-26|website=Box Office Mojo|archive-date=November 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101005418/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/2020W42/?ref_=bo_we_nav|url-status=live}} For the film's 30th anniversary and in commemoration of The Walt Disney Company's centennial, it was re-released in theaters across the United States and Canada on October 20, 2023, including engagements in 4DX.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-07 |title=Disney Celebrates 30th Anniversary of "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas" |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230907601697/en/Disney-Celebrates-30th-Anniversary-of-%E2%80%9CTim-Burton%E2%80%99s-The-Nightmare-Before-Christmas%E2%80%9D |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=www.businesswire.com |language=en |archive-date=November 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231122120514/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230907601697/en/Disney-Celebrates-30th-Anniversary-of-%E2%80%9CTim-Burton%E2%80%99s-The-Nightmare-Before-Christmas%E2%80%9D |url-status=live }} The film was once again theatrically re-released on October 11, 2024, including RealD 3D and Disney Digital 3-D formats.

With years of successful home video sales, The Nightmare Before Christmas later achieved the ranks of a cult film. Touchstone Home Video first released the film on VHS and LaserDisc (in both deluxe CAV and widescreen editions) on September 30, 1994, and on DVD on December 2, 1997.{{cite book | title = The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) | asin = 6304711921 }} The Nightmare Before Christmas was released on DVD a second time on October 3, 2000, as a special edition. The release included an audio commentary by Selick and cinematographer Pete Kozachik, a 28-minute making-of documentary, a gallery of concept art, storyboards, test footage and deleted scenes. Burton's Vincent (1982) and Frankenweenie (1984) were also included.{{cite web | work = Amazon.com | url = https://www.amazon.de/dp/B00005AXM0 | title = The Nightmare Before Christmas (Special Edition) | date = November 21, 2002 | access-date = September 26, 2008}} Both DVDs were non-anamorphic widescreen releases. The film was released on UMD for PlayStation Portable on October 25, 2005.{{cite web|date=8 August 2012|title=Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas UMD VIDEO|url=http://psp.ign.com/objects/775/775759.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060807001723/http://psp.ign.com/objects/775/775759.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 August 2006|access-date=24 June 2022|publisher=psp.ign.com}}

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment reissued the DVD (this time with an anamorphic transfer) and on Blu-ray Disc (for the first time) on August 26, 2008, as a two-disc digitally remastered "collector's edition", but still containing the same special features.{{cite web | work = Amazon.com | url = https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AIRUOU | title = The Nightmare Before Christmas (2-Disc Collector's Edition + Digital Copy) | date = August 26, 2008 | access-date = September 26, 2008 | archive-date = December 28, 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231228000238/https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AIRUOU | url-status = live }}{{cite web | work = Amazon.com | title = The Nightmare Before Christmas [Blu-ray] + Digital Copy (1993) | date = August 26, 2008 | url = https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AIRUP4 | access-date = October 15, 2008 | archive-date = December 28, 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231228000257/https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AIRUP4 | url-status = live }}

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment released The Nightmare Before Christmas on Blu-ray 3D on August 30, 2011. The release included a Blu-ray 3D disc, Blu-ray disc and a DVD that includes both a DVD and digital copy.

In 2018, a sing-along version, accompanied by the theatrical cut and a Movies Anywhere copy, as a single-disc version for the film's 25th anniversary.{{cite web|url=https://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Disc_Announcements/Disney%2FBuena_Vista/The_Nightmare_Before_Christmas_-_3D_Dated_and_Detailed_for_Blu-ray_3D/7022|title='The Nightmare Before Christmas - 3D' Dated and Detailed for Blu-ray 3D!|work=highdefdigest.com|access-date=August 2, 2020|archive-date=November 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129082831/https://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Disc_Announcements/Disney%2FBuena_Vista/The_Nightmare_Before_Christmas_-_3D_Dated_and_Detailed_for_Blu-ray_3D/7022|url-status=live}} The singalong version was also released on Disney+ on September 30, 2022.

In celebration of its 30th anniversary, the film was remastered in 4K and was released on 4K Blu-ray, including extra content, on August 22, 2023.{{cite web | url=https://insidethemagic.net/2023/07/the-nightmare-before-christmas-releasing-loaded-4k-edition-jb1/ | title='The Nightmare Before Christmas' Releasing Loaded 4K Edition | date=July 4, 2023 | access-date=July 17, 2023 | archive-date=July 17, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230717211557/https://insidethemagic.net/2023/07/the-nightmare-before-christmas-releasing-loaded-4k-edition-jb1/ | url-status=live }}{{cite web | url=https://comicbook.com/gear/news/the-nightmare-before-christmas-30th-anniversary-collection-unveiled-at-hot-topic/ | title=The Nightmare Before Christmas Sally's Storage Jar Set is 30% off | access-date=July 17, 2023 | archive-date=July 17, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230717211557/https://comicbook.com/gear/news/the-nightmare-before-christmas-30th-anniversary-collection-unveiled-at-hot-topic/ | url-status=live }}

Disney has extensively marketed the film and its characters across many forms of media and memorabilia, including action figures, books, games, art crafts, and fashion products. Jack Skellington, Sally, Pajama Jack, and the Mayor have been made into bendable figures,Frederick J. Augustyn, Dictionary of Toys and Games in American Popular Culture (Haworth Press, 2004), [https://archive.org/details/dictionaryoftoys00fred/page/18 18]. while Jack and Sally even appear in fine art."[https://web.archive.org/web/20090108195656/http://press-releases.techwhack.com/29179-jim-salvati New Disney Fine Art: Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas Limited Edition by Artist Jim Salvati]," TechWhack (November 3, 2008). Sally has been made into an action figure and a Halloween costume.For an image of a Sally costume, see Bobwilson, "[https://www.lubbockonline.com/stories/103108/liv_350203107.shtml Halloween gives teens a chance to scare, be silly] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714001041/http://lubbockonline.com/stories/103108/liv_350203107.shtml |date=July 14, 2011 }}," Lubbock Avalanche-Journal (October 31, 2008).

Various Disneyland and the branching theme parks host attractions featuring Nightmare characters, particularly during Halloween and Christmas seasons. Since 2001, Disneyland has given its Haunted Mansion Holiday attraction a Nightmare Before Christmas theme for the holiday season. It features characters, decorations and music from the film, in addition to Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Mickey's Halloween Party featuring the film's characters.Ramin Setoodeh, "Haunted Parks", Newsweek 144.16 (October 18, 2004): 73. Additionally, Jack hosts the Halloween Screams, HalloWishes, and Not So Spooky Spectacular! fireworks shows at Magic Kingdom (where the host is Ghost Host) and Disneyland (where the host is Jack himself), as well as the Frightfully Fun Parade.{{Cite news|url=https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2016/08/the-all-new-frightfully-fun-parade-debuts-during-mickeys-halloween-party-at-disneyland-park/|title=The All-New 'Frightfully Fun Parade' Debuts During Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland Park|last=Slater|first=Shawn|date=August 29, 2016|work=Disney Parks Blog|access-date=September 25, 2016|archive-date=December 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191210165906/https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2016/08/the-all-new-frightfully-fun-parade-debuts-during-mickeys-halloween-party-at-disneyland-park/|url-status=dead}}

Around the release of the film, Hoberman was quoted, "I hope Nightmare goes out and makes a fortune. If it does, great. If it doesn't, that doesn't negate the validity of the process. The budget was less than any Disney blockbuster so it doesn't have to earn Aladdin-sized grosses to satisfy us." The film earned $50 million in the United States in its initial theatrical run and was regarded as a moderate sleeper hit.

The Nightmare Before Christmas made an additional $11.1 million in box office gross in its 2006 reissue.{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AIRUOU|title=Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas in 3-D (2006)|work=Box Office Mojo|date=August 26, 2008 |access-date=September 26, 2008}} The 2007, 2008, 2009, 2020, and 2023 reissues earned $15.8 million, $2.5 million, $2.3 million, and $10 million, respectively{{clarify|reason=Five years are listed here, but only four box office numbers.|date=December 2023}}, increasing the film's total box office gross to $107.8 million.{{Cite news |last=Rubin |first=Rebecca |date=October 22, 2023 |title=Box Office: Scorsese's 'Killers of the Flower Moon' Impresses With $23 Million Debut, but Swift's 'Eras Tour' Remains No. 1 |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/box-office/box-office-scorsese-killers-of-the-flower-moon-opening-weekend-taylor-swift-stays-first-1235764365/ |access-date=October 22, 2023 |archive-date=October 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231022222207/https://variety.com/2023/film/box-office/box-office-scorsese-killers-of-the-flower-moon-opening-weekend-taylor-swift-stays-first-1235764365/ |url-status=live }} It would also finish in top 10 during the first three-day weekend of its 2024 re-release, grossing $2.4 million.{{cite news|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/2024W41/?ref_=bo_wey_table_4|title=Domestic 2024 Weekend 41|publisher=Box Office Mojo|access-date=October 17, 2024}}{{cite news|url=https://collider.com/the-nightmare-before-christmas-domestic-box-office-re-release/|title='The Nightmare Before Christmas' Delivers a Far-From-Skeletal Domestic Box Office Re-Release|first=Rahul|last=Maltora|publisher=Collider|date=October 13, 2024|access-date=October 14, 2024}}

On Rotten Tomatoes, The Nightmare Before Christmas holds a rating of 95% based on 106 reviews, with an average rating of 8.4/10. The site's critics consensus reads, "The Nightmare Before Christmas is a stunningly original and visually delightful work of stop-motion animation."{{cite web | url = https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/nightmare_before_christmas/ | title = The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) | work = Rotten Tomatoes | publisher = Fandango Media | access-date = October 18, 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200604015108/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/nightmare_before_christmas | archive-date = June 4, 2020 | url-status = live }} On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 82 out of 100, based on 30 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".{{cite web | title = The Nightmare Before Christmas Reviews | work = Metacritic | publisher = CBS Interactive | url = https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-nightmare-before-christmas | access-date = April 13, 2018 | archive-date = April 19, 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180419073346/http://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-nightmare-before-christmas | url-status = live }} Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade "B+" on an A+ to F scale.{{cite web |url= https://cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |title= Cinemascore |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |archive-date= December 20, 2018 |access-date= July 8, 2019 }}

Roger Ebert praised the film's visual inventiveness: "One of the many pleasures of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas is that there is not a single recognizable landscape in it. Everything looks strange and haunting. Even Santa Claus would be difficult to recognize without his red-and-white uniform." He wrote that it presented a world "that is as completely new as the worlds we saw for the first time in such films as Metropolis, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Star Wars. What all of these films have in common is a visual richness, so abundant they deserve more than one viewing." He wrote that "The songs by Danny Elfman are fun too, a couple of them using lyrics so clever they could be updated from Gilbert & Sullivan. And the choreography, liberated from gravity and reality, has an energy of its own, as when the furniture, the architecture, and the very landscape itself gets in on the act." He notes that "some of the Halloween creatures might be a tad scary for smaller children, but this is the kind of movie older kids will eat up; it has the kind of offbeat, subversive energy that tells them wonderful things are likely to happen."{{cite news | title = The Nightmare Before Christmas | url = https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/tim-burtons-the-nightmare-before-christmas-1993 | last = Ebert | first = Roger | work = RogerEbert.com | date = October 22, 1993 | access-date = September 26, 2008 | archive-date = June 3, 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130603080422/http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/tim-burtons-the-nightmare-before-christmas-1993 | url-status = live }}

Peter Travers of Rolling Stone called it a restoration of "originality and daring to the Halloween genre. This dazzling mix of fun and fright also explodes the notion that animation is kid stuff. … It's 74 minutes of timeless movie magic."{{cite news | first = Peter | last = Travers | url = https://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/movie/5947515/review/5947516/the_nightmare_before_christmas | title = The Nightmare Before Christmas | work = Rolling Stone | date = April 11, 2001 | access-date = September 26, 2008 | author-link = Peter Travers | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081130055653/http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/movie/5947515/review/5947516/the_nightmare_before_christmas | archive-date = November 30, 2008 | url-status = dead }} James Berardinelli stated "The Nightmare Before Christmas has something to offer just about everyone. For the kids, it's a fantasy celebrating two holidays. For the adults, it's an opportunity to experience some light entertainment while marveling at how adept Hollywood has become at these techniques. There are songs, laughs, and a little romance. In short, The Nightmare Before Christmas does what it intends to: entertain."{{cite news | first = James | last = Berardinelli | url = https://preview.reelviews.net/movies/n/nightmare.html | title = The Nightmare Before Christmas | work = ReelViews | access-date = September 26, 2008 | author-link = James Berardinelli | archive-date = December 8, 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191208234154/http://preview.reelviews.net/movies/n/nightmare.html | url-status = live }} Desson Thomson of The Washington Post enjoyed the film's similarities to the writings of Oscar Wilde and the Brothers Grimm, as well as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and other German Expressionist films.{{cite news | first = Desson | last = Thomson | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/thenightmarebeforechristmaspghowe_a0b003.htm | title = The Nightmare Before Christmas | newspaper = The Washington Post | access-date = September 26, 2008 | date = October 22, 1993 | author-link = Desson Thomson | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121110172157/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/thenightmarebeforechristmaspghowe_a0b003.htm | archive-date = November 10, 2012 | url-status = live }}

Michael A. Morrison discusses the influence of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! on the film, writing that Jack parallels the Grinch and Zero parallels Max, the Grinch's dog.Michael A. Morrison, Trajectories of the Fantastic: Selected Essays from the Fourteenth International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts (Greenwood Publishing Group, 1997), [https://books.google.com/books?id=ssGT7x-jCTYC&dq=Zero+%22Nightmare+Before+Christmas%22&pg=PA154 154] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230914190205/https://books.google.com/books?id=ssGT7x-jCTYC&dq=Zero+%22Nightmare+Before+Christmas%22&pg=PA154 |date=September 14, 2023 }}. Philip Nel writes that the film "challenges the wisdom of adults through its trickster characters", contrasting Jack as a "good trickster" with Oogie Boogie, whom he also compares with Seuss' Dr. Terwilliker as a bad trickster.Philip Nel, Dr. Seuss: American Icon (Continuum International Publishing Group, 2004), [https://books.google.com/books?id=IjvHQsCn_pgC&dq=%22Oogie+Boogie%22&pg=PA95 95] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611031414/https://books.google.com/books?id=IjvHQsCn_pgC&pg=PA95&dq=%22Oogie+Boogie%22&ei=8nMaSYi2L4jUMoP1tcMG |date=June 11, 2020 }}. Entertainment Weekly reports that fan reception of these characters borders on obsession, profiling Laurie and Myk Rudnick, a couple whose "degree of obsession with [the] film is so great that … they named their son after the real-life person that a character in the film is based on.""Obsessive Fans of the Week!" in Entertainment Weekly 909 (12/1/2006): 6. This enthusiasm for the characters has also been profiled as having spread beyond North America to Japan.Stephen Jones, The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror (Carroll & Graf Publishers, 2002), [https://books.google.com/books?id=arbgqvfGWfQC&dq=Zero+%22Nightmare+Before+Christmas%22&pg=PA75 75] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230914190209/https://books.google.com/books?id=arbgqvfGWfQC&dq=Zero+%22Nightmare+Before+Christmas%22&pg=PA75 |date=September 14, 2023 }}. Yvonne Tasker notes "the complex characterization seen in The Nightmare Before Christmas".Yvonne Tasker, Fifty Contemporary Filmmakers (Routledge, 2002), [https://books.google.com/books?id=v0SITBLPJEAC&dq=%22Nightmare+Before+Christmas%22+%22character+development%22&pg=PA76 76] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611033159/https://books.google.com/books?id=v0SITBLPJEAC&pg=PA76&dq=%22Nightmare+Before+Christmas%22+%22character+development%22&ei=56cbSY38KJSmM8Pv7fkO |date=June 11, 2020 }}.

Negative or mixed reviews of the film were generally similar in theme to the positive ones but said that the interesting concept and "wonderful" special effects did not make up for the "superficial" plot, "weak" screenplay and "one-dimensional" characters.{{cite web | url=https://moviebabble.com/2018/10/29/the-nightmare-before-christmas-why-i-dont-like-it-as-much-as-everyone-else/#google_vignette | title='The Nightmare Before Christmas' - Why I Don't Like it as Much as Everyone else | date=October 30, 2018 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.joblo.com/the-unpopular-opinion-the-nightmare-before-christmas/ | title=The UnPopular Opinion: The Nightmare Before Christmas | date=November 29, 2018 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.cbr.com/nightmare-before-christmas-overrated-vs-underrated/ | title=5 Ways the Nightmare Before Christmas is Overrated (& 5 Why It's Underrated) | date=February 10, 2021 }}

The film was nominated for both the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects and the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation. Nightmare won the Saturn Award for Best Fantasy Film, while Elfman won Best Music. Selick and the animators were also nominated for their work. Elfman was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score. Most recently, the film ranked #1 on Rotten Tomatoes' "Top 25 Best Christmas Movies" list.{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/guides/best_christmas_movies/nightmare_before_christmas/|title=The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993): Rank 1|work=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=December 20, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081224095634/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/guides/best_christmas_movies/nightmare_before_christmas/|archive-date=December 24, 2008|url-status=live}}

{{Anchor|Sequel|Future}}

In 2001, Disney began to consider producing a sequel, but rather than using stop motion, they wanted to use computer animation.{{cite news | first = Fred | last = Topel | title = Director Henry Selick Interview – The Nightmare Before Christmas | date = August 25, 2008 | work = About.com | url = http://movies.about.com/od/nightmarebeforechristmas/a/nightmare082508.htm | access-date = September 27, 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080925081930/http://movies.about.com/od/nightmarebeforechristmas/a/nightmare082508.htm | archive-date = September 25, 2008 | url-status = live }} Burton convinced Disney to drop the idea. "I was always very protective of [The Nightmare Before Christmas], not to do sequels or things of that kind," Burton explained. "You know, Jack visits Thanksgiving world or other kinds of things just because I felt the movie had a purity to it and the people that like it, because it's a mass-market kind of thing, it was important to kind of keep that purity of it." The 2004 video game The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge did serve as a sequel of the film, with Capcom's crew of developers going after Burton for advice{{cite web|url=https://movieweb.com/cynamatic-exclusive-masato-yoshino-gets-oogies-revenge/|title=CYNAMATIC: EXCLUSIVE: Masato Yoshino Gets Oogie's Revenge|work=MovieWeb|date=October 7, 2005|access-date=January 6, 2011|archive-date=June 20, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230620011700/https://movieweb.com/cynamatic-exclusive-masato-yoshino-gets-oogies-revenge/|url-status=live}} and having the collaboration of the film's art director, Deane Taylor.{{cite web|url=http://interviews.teamxbox.com/xbox/1309/Tim-Burtons-The-Nightmare-Before-Christmas-Oogies-Revenge-Deane-Taylor-Interview/p3/|title=Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge – Deane Taylor Interview|publisher=TeamXbox|date=September 19, 2005|access-date=January 6, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716195515/http://interviews.teamxbox.com/xbox/1309/Tim-Burtons-The-Nightmare-Before-Christmas-Oogies-Revenge-Deane-Taylor-Interview/p3/|archive-date=July 16, 2011|df=mdy-all}} In 2009, Selick said he would do a film sequel if he and Burton could create a good story for it.{{cite web|url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/how-possible-is-a-sequel-to-nightmare-before-christmas|title=How possible is a sequel to Nightmare Before Christmas?|work=Blastr|date=February 1, 2009|last=Otto|first=Jack|access-date=January 6, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708013345/http://blastr.com/2009/02/how-possible-is-a-sequel-to-nightmare-before-christmas.php|archive-date=July 8, 2011|url-status=dead}}

In February 2019, it was reported that a new Nightmare Before Christmas film was in the works with Disney considering either a stop-motion sequel or live-action remake.{{cite web |last1=Lowery |first1=Mike |title=Exclusive : Talks underway for Nightmare Before Christmas follow-up |url=https://moviehole.net/exclusive-talks-underway-for-nightmare-before-christmas-follow-up/ |website=Moviehole |date=February 10, 2019 |access-date=10 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210112517/https://moviehole.net/exclusive-talks-underway-for-nightmare-before-christmas-follow-up/ |archive-date=February 10, 2019 |url-status=live }} In October 2019, Chris Sarandon expressed interest on reprising his role as Jack Skellington if a sequel film ever materializes.{{cite web|url=https://comicbook.com/horror/news/nightmare-before-christmas-sequel-jack-skellington-actor-return-chris-sarandon/|title=The Nightmare Before Christmas Star Would Crawl Across the Country to Play Jack Skellington in a Sequel|work=ComicBook.com|date=October 10, 2019|last=Cavanaugh|first=Patrick|access-date=October 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200621235148/https://comicbook.com/horror/news/nightmare-before-christmas-sequel-jack-skellington-actor-return-chris-sarandon/|archive-date=June 21, 2020|url-status=live}}

On February 22, 2021, Disney Publishing announced that a sequel was given to the 1993 film in the form of a young adult novel, released as Long Live the Pumpkin Queen. It was written by Shea Ernshaw and features Sally as the main character, told through her point-of-view, with events taking place after the film.{{cite web |url=https://io9.gizmodo.com/nightmare-before-christmas-sally-gets-to-shine-in-a-new-1846279355 |title=Nightmare Before Christmas' Sally Gets to Shine in a New YA Novel From Shea Ernshaw |work=Gizmodo |last=Whitbrook |first=James |date=February 16, 2021 |access-date=October 13, 2021 |archive-date=May 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516233002/https://io9.gizmodo.com/nightmare-before-christmas-sally-gets-to-shine-in-a-new-1846279355 |url-status=live }} The book was released on August 2, 2022.{{Cite web |url=https://books.disney.com/book/long-live-the-pumpkin-queen/ |title=Long Live the Pumpkin Queen |access-date=November 3, 2022 |archive-date=November 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221103095955/https://books.disney.com/book/long-live-the-pumpkin-queen/ |url-status=live }}

In October 2023, Selick stated that he would like to do a prequel film about how Jack became king of Halloween Town.{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Carly |date=2023-10-14 |title='The Nightmare Before Christmas' Director on His Idea for a Potential Prequel |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/the-nightmare-before-christmas-director-idea-potential-prequel-1235618279/ |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US |archive-date=October 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231015051848/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/the-nightmare-before-christmas-director-idea-potential-prequel-1235618279/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Haring |first=Bruce |date=2023-10-14 |title='The Nightmare Before Christmas' Prequel Is Batted Around By Director Henry Selick |url=https://deadline.com/2023/10/the-nightmare-before-christmas-sequel-batted-around-by-director-henry-selick-1235573732/ |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=Deadline |language=en-US |archive-date=October 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231014195203/https://deadline.com/2023/10/the-nightmare-before-christmas-sequel-batted-around-by-director-henry-selick-1235573732/ |url-status=live }} The following month, however, Burton said that he did not want to see any further projects in that universe.{{cite magazine article |last1=Travis |first1=Ben |title=Tim Burton Doesn't Want Sequels Or A Reboot For The Nightmare Before Christmas: 'Get Off Of My Land!' – Exclusive |url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/nightmare-before-christmas-tim-burton-doesnt-want-sequels-reboot-exclusive/ |magazine=Empire |publisher=Bauer Publishing |language=en |date=November 21, 2023}} In August 2024, Selick expressed doubt that a sequel would ever materialize, not wanting to "beat [the film] to death."{{Cite web |author1=Megan Garside |date=2024-08-14 |title=Coraline and The Nightmare Before Christmas director Henry Selick says it's "incredibly rewarding" seeing them celebrate major anniversaries, but they probably won't get sequels anytime soon |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/animation-movies/coraline-and-the-nightmare-before-christmas-director-henry-selick-on-the-movies-major-anniversaries-but-says-they-wont-get-sequels-interview-exclusive/ |access-date=2024-08-18 |website=gamesradar |language=en}}

In the book The Nightmare Before Christmas (2025), the authors note the films long-standing fandom and presence within popular culture.{{cite book|title=The Nightmare Before Christmas|editor-last1=Antunes|editor-first1=Filipa|editor-last2=Eldridge|editor-first2=Brittany|editor-last3=Williams|editor-first3=Rebecca|publisher=Bloomsbury Academic|ISBN=979-8-7651-1361-5|last1=Antunes|first1=Filipa|last2=Eldridge|first2=Brittany|last3=Williams|first3=Rebecca|p=3|chapter=Introduction}}

This includes a proliferation of merchandise surrounding it ranging from action figures, clothing, board games, novels, comics, and jewelry.{{cite book|title=The Nightmare Before Christmas|editor-last1=Antunes|editor-first1=Filipa|editor-last2=Eldridge|editor-first2=Brittany|editor-last3=Williams|editor-first3=Rebecca|publisher=Bloomsbury Academic|ISBN=979-8-7651-1361-5|last1=Antunes|first1=Filipa|last2=Eldridge|first2=Brittany|last3=Williams|first3=Rebecca|p=4|chapter=Introduction}}

Various action figures were released since the films released, including ten from Hasbro in 1993. Alec Plowman in The Nightmare Before Christmas (2025) found these action figures "uncharacteristically detailed" for figures of the era with an emphasis on screen accuracy of the characters and being released with display stands.{{cite book|title=The Nightmare Before Christmas|editor-last1=Antunes|editor-first1=Filipa|editor-last2=Eldridge|editor-first2=Brittany|editor-last3=Williams|editor-first3=Rebecca|publisher=Bloomsbury Academic|ISBN=979-8-7651-1361-5|last=Plowman|first=Alec|chapter=Action Figures and the Contextual Reframing of the Nightmare Before Christmas|p=55-56}}{{cite book|title=The Nightmare Before Christmas|editor-last1=Antunes|editor-first1=Filipa|editor-last2=Eldridge|editor-first2=Brittany|editor-last3=Williams|editor-first3=Rebecca|publisher=Bloomsbury Academic|ISBN=979-8-7651-1361-5|last=Plowman|first=Alec|chapter=Action Figures and the Contextual Reframing of the Nightmare Before Christmas|pp=59-60}} Plowman said this was due to rise of the nascant adult collector market for toys that was emerging in the 1990s. Other brands would release toys for the film in the 21st century including NECA and Funko.{{cite book|title=The Nightmare Before Christmas|editor-last1=Antunes|editor-first1=Filipa|editor-last2=Eldridge|editor-first2=Brittany|editor-last3=Williams|editor-first3=Rebecca|publisher=Bloomsbury Academic|ISBN=979-8-7651-1361-5|last1=Antunes|first1=Filipa|last2=Eldridge|first2=Brittany|last3=Williams|first3=Rebecca|p=11|chapter=Introduction}}

A collectible card game based on the film called The Nightmare Before Christmas TCG was released in 2005 by NECA. The game was designed by Quixotic Games founder Andrew Parks{{cite web|url=http://www.quixoticgames.com/quixotic.html|title=Quixotic Games - About Quixotic|work=quixoticgames.com|access-date=April 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160416150934/http://www.quixoticgames.com/quixotic.html|archive-date=April 16, 2016|url-status=live}} Quixotic Games also developed The Nightmare Before Christmas Party Game that was released in 2007 by NECA.{{cite web|url=http://www.quixoticgames.com/ludography.html|title=Quixotic Games - Ludography|work=quixoticgames.com|access-date=April 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414001809/http://www.quixoticgames.com/ludography.html|archive-date=April 14, 2016|url-status=live}}

A The Nightmare Before Christmas-themed Jenga game was issued with orange, purple and black blocks with Jack Skellington heads on them. The set comes in a coffin-shaped box instead of the normal rectangular box.{{cite web|url=http://craziestgadgets.com/2012/07/31/nightmare-before-christmas-jenga/|title=Nightmare Before Christmas Jenga|website=Craziestgadgets.com|access-date=July 31, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120801205608/http://craziestgadgets.com/2012/07/31/nightmare-before-christmas-jenga/|archive-date=August 1, 2012|url-status=live}}

A 168-card Munchkin Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas-themed Munchkin was developed by USAopoly featuring the citizens of Halloween Town such as Jack Skellington, Oogie Boogie, Doctor Finkelstein, and Lock, Shock and Barrel. The game comes with a custom die similar to the ones used by Oogie Boogie in the film.{{cite web|url=http://www.worldofmunchkin.com/nbc/|title=Munchkin® The Nightmare Before Christmas|website=Worldofmunchkin.com|access-date=April 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423233418/http://www.worldofmunchkin.com/nbc/|archive-date=April 23, 2016|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://theop.games/games/munchkin-nightmare-before-christmas/|title=MUNCHKIN: Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas|website=Usaopoly.com|access-date=April 27, 2016}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

On September 15, 2020, a Nightmare Before Christmas-themed tarot card deck and guidebook was released and the illustration was done by Abigail Larson.{{Cite book|isbn = 978-1683839699|title = The Nightmare Before Christmas Tarot Deck and Guidebook|last1 = Siegel|first1 = Minerva|date = September 15, 2020| publisher=Simon and Schuster }} On October 27, 2023, Disney partnered with Mattel to produce a Jack and Sally doll under their Monster High toyline.{{Cite web |last=Coulson |first=Josh |date=2023-09-21 |title=Mattel Shows Off Two Disney Halloween-Themed Little People Collector Sets |url=https://www.thegamer.com/mattel-disney-halloween-little-people-collector-sets-nightmare-before-christmas-hocus-pocus/ |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=TheGamer |language=en |archive-date=November 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231103073006/https://www.thegamer.com/mattel-disney-halloween-little-people-collector-sets-nightmare-before-christmas-hocus-pocus/ |url-status=live }}

In 1993, a pop-up book based on the film was released on October 1.{{Cite book|isbn=0453031323|title=Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas: A Super Pop-up Book|last1=Burton|first1=Tim|year=1993|publisher=Mouse Works }} Another pop-up book calendar titled Nightmare Before Christmas Pop-Up Book and Advent Calendar was released September 29, 2020.{{cite web |url=https://www.cbr.com/tim-burtons-nightmare-before-christmas-ghoulish-advent-calendar/ |title=Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas Gets a Ghoulish Pop-Up Advent Calendar |work=CBR |last=Sussman |first=Hillary |date=August 26, 2020 |access-date=October 13, 2021 |archive-date=November 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102121900/https://www.cbr.com/tim-burtons-nightmare-before-christmas-ghoulish-advent-calendar/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite book|isbn = 978-1683839682|title = The Nightmare Before Christmas: Advent Calendar and Pop-Up Book|publisher = Insight Editions|date = September 29, 2020}} Jack is the titular character in the short story "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas: Jack's Story".tk, "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas: Jack's story", Disney Scary Storybook Collection (New York: Disney Press, 2003.), 5. Disney Press released a Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas Party Cookbook: Recipes and Crafts for the Perfect Spooky Party on August 21, 2017.{{cite web |url=https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tim-burtons-the-nightmare-before-christmas-party-cookbook-disney-press/1126008399 |title=Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas Party Cookbook: Recipes and Crafts for the Perfect Spooky Party (B&N Exclusive) |website=barnesandnoble.com |access-date=October 13, 2021 |archive-date=October 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201019151518/https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tim-burtons-the-nightmare-before-christmas-party-cookbook-disney-press/1126008399 |url-status=live }} A behind-the-scenes art book titled Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas: The Film, the Art, the Vision was released on October 14, 1993, and a Disney Editions Deluxe edition was published July 28, 2009.{{cite book |url=https://www.amazon.com/Tim-Burtons-Nightmare-Before-Christmas/dp/B015X44D0U |title=Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas: The Film, the Art, the Vision by Frank Thompson(October 14, 1993) Hardcover Hardcover – January 1, 1602 |website=amazon.com |access-date=October 13, 2021}}{{Cite book|isbn=978-1423125419|title=Tim Burton's the Nightmare Before Christmas: The Film - the Art - the Vision|last1=Thompson|first1=Frank|date=July 28, 2009|publisher=Disney Editions }}

In 2006, a picture book containing the poem Tim Burton wrote that originated the film was released on August 15.{{Cite book|isbn=0786849088|title=The Nightmare Before Christmas|last1=Burton|first1=Tim|date=August 2006|publisher=Disney Press }} In celebration of the film's 20th anniversary, the poem was re-released with a hardcover edition in 2013.{{Cite book|isbn = 978-1423178699|title = The Nightmare Before Christmas: 20th Anniversary Edition|last1 = Burton|first1 = Tim|date = August 6, 2013| publisher=Disney Press }} On July 20, 2009, an illustrated book covering the Haunted Mansion Holiday attraction's rendition of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" song titled Nightmare Before Christmas: The 13 Days of Christmas was published. In celebration of the film's 25th anniversary, a book and CD, featuring narration and sound effects, was released on July 3, 2018.{{cite web |url=https://books.disney.com/book/tim-burtons-the-nightmare-before-christmas-book-cd/ |title=Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas Book & CD |website=disney.com |access-date=October 13, 2021 |archive-date=October 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017161308/https://books.disney.com/book/tim-burtons-the-nightmare-before-christmas-book-cd/ |url-status=live }}

In honor of the film's 25th anniversary, a Cinestory Comic made by Disney and published by Joe Books LTD was released on September 26, 2017.{{Cite book|isbn=978-1987955200|title=Tim Burton's the Nightmare Before Christmas Cinestory Comic: Collector's Edition|author1=Disney|date=September 26, 2017|publisher=Joe Books Limited }} A graphic novel retelling of the film by Joe Books LTD was released on July 31, 2018, and digital and hardcover versions were released August 25, 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.barnesandnoble.com/noresults/tim-burtons-the-nightmare-before-christmas-disney/1127627762|title=BN No Results Page|website=Barnes & Noble|access-date=June 10, 2022|archive-date=September 14, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230914190206/https://www.barnesandnoble.com/noresults/tim-burtons-the-nightmare-before-christmas-disney/1127627762|url-status=live}}{{better source|date=April 2025}}{{Cite book|isbn = 978-1506717425|title = Tim Burton's the Nightmare Before Christmas: The Story of the Movie in Comics|last1 = Ferrari|first1 = Alessandro|date = August 25, 2020| publisher=Dark Horse Comics }} On November 26, 2020, a novel retelling of the film version was released as part of the Disney Animated Classics series.{{Cite book|isbn =9780794448257|title=Disney Animated Classics: The Nightmare Before Christmas|last1 = Easton |first1 = Marilyn|date = November 26, 2020|publisher=Simon and Schuster }} In 2021, another version of Nightmare Before Christmas 13 Days of Christmas came out on July 6 and was soon followed by Little Golden Books's release of their adaptation of Nightmare Before Christmas on July 13, 2021.{{Cite book|isbn =9781368064576|title=Nightmare Before Christmas 13 Days of Christmas|last1 = Davison |first1 = Steven|date = July 6, 2021|publisher=Disney Press }}{{Cite book|isbn = 9780736441698|title=The Nightmare Before Christmas|last1 = Arroyo |first1 = Jeannette|date = July 13, 2021|publisher=Random House Children's Books }}

In 2017, Tokyopop secured exclusive licensing for two manga adaptions for Nightmare Before Christmas, with the first manga being an adaptation of the film's plot line, with art by Jun Asuka, released October 17.{{cite web |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/a-nightmare-before-christmas-sequel-tokyopop-re-emerges-with-disney-licenses/ |title=A Nightmare Before Christmas Sequel: TokyoPop Re-Emerges With Disney Licenses |website=Comicsbeat |last=Allen |first=Todd |date=August 1, 2017 |access-date=October 13, 2021 |archive-date=January 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220117171918/https://www.comicsbeat.com/a-nightmare-before-christmas-sequel-tokyopop-re-emerges-with-disney-licenses/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite book|isbn = 978-1427857248|title = Tim Burton's the Nightmare Before Christmas|last1 = Asuka|first1 = Jun|year = 2017| publisher=TOKYOPOP, Incorporated }} The second manga, a fully colored series illustrated by Kei Ishiyama and titled Zero's Journey, chronicles the adventures of Jack's dog, Zero, in his experiences beginning in Christmas Town after accidentally getting separated from Jack, who tries to find him, and acts as a sequel to the film, with Tim Burton's story approval.{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/books/2017/10/31/jack-and-zero-get-redesigned-for-nightmare-before-christmas-sequel-comic/ |title=Jack and Zero get redesigned for Nightmare Before Christmas sequel comic |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |last=Holub |first=Christian |date=October 31, 2017 |access-date=October 13, 2021 |archive-date=October 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211023123351/https://ew.com/books/2017/10/31/jack-and-zero-get-redesigned-for-nightmare-before-christmas-sequel-comic/ |url-status=live }} The 20 issues were first published monthly, starting on October 2, and then collected into four full-color graphic novels, with a black-and-white collector's edition manga edition as well.{{cite web |url=https://www.tokyopop.com/zerosjourney |title=Zero's Journey |website=Tokyopop.com |access-date=October 13, 2021 |archive-date=November 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211119025138/https://www.tokyopop.com/zerosjourney |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://nerdist.com/article/nightmare-before-christmas-zeros-journey-sequel-comic-exclusive-preview/ |title=The Nightmare Before Christmas Gets A Sequel Comic (Exclusive Preview) |website=Nerdist |last=Diaz |first=Eric |date=September 20, 2018 |access-date=October 13, 2021 |archive-date=November 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211127194734/https://nerdist.com/article/nightmare-before-christmas-zeros-journey-sequel-comic-exclusive-preview/ |url-status=live }} Starting on July 21, 2021, Tokyopop released another sequel manga centered around Sally, titled The Nightmare Before Christmas: Mirror Moon, written by Mallory Reaves and fully-colored series illustrated by Gabriella Chianello, and Nataliya Torretta. The first two issues will be collected into a graphic novel that is slated to be released on October 26.{{cite web |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/nycc-21-i-didnt-know-that-had-a-manga-panel/ |website=Comicsbeat |title=NYCC '21: I Didn't Know That Had a Manga! |last=Jewell |first=Sara |date=March 9, 2021 |access-date=October 7, 2021 |archive-date=October 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007230820/https://www.comicsbeat.com/nycc-21-i-didnt-know-that-had-a-manga-panel/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://screenrant.com/nightmare-before-christmas-mirror-moon-sequel-manga-tokyopop/ |website=Screenrant.com |title=Nightmare Before Christmas Gets A Sequel in New Disney Manga |last=King |first=Samantha |date=October 7, 2021 |access-date=October 16, 2021 |archive-date=October 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211016233434/https://screenrant.com/nightmare-before-christmas-mirror-moon-sequel-manga-tokyopop/ |url-status=live }}{{better source|date=April 2025|reason=WP:RSP/VALNET}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.tokyopop.com/book-catalogue-new-titles/the-nightmare-before-christmas-mirror-moon-issue-1 |title=Disney Manga: The Nightmare Before Christmas — Mirror Moon, Issue #1 — TOKYOPOP |access-date=October 16, 2021 |archive-date=October 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211016233435/https://www.tokyopop.com/book-catalogue-new-titles/the-nightmare-before-christmas-mirror-moon-issue-1 |url-status=dead }}

A novelization of the film written by Daphne Skinner was published on January 1, 1994.{{Cite book|isbn=0140371214|title=The Nightmare Before Christmas|last1=Skinner|first1=Daphne|last2=Burton|first2=Tim|year=1994|publisher=Puffin }} On August 2, 2022, a young adult novel titled Long Live the Pumpkin Queen by Shea Ernshaw was released. With Sally as the protagonist, with the premise described as "...takes place shortly after the movie ends. It's the yet-to-be-told love story of Sally and Jack. But it's also a coming-of-age story for Sally, as we see her navigate her new royal title as the Pumpkin Queen of Halloween Town". The novel introduced new characters and explored Sally's past, as well as exploring other holiday worlds as Sally and Jack tackle a mysterious villain Sally has accidentally unleashed.{{cite web |url=https://nerdist.com/article/nightmare-before-christmas-sequel-novel-sally-shea-ernshaw/ |title=Nightmare Before Christmas Sequel Novel Focuses on Sally |website=Nerdist |last=Diaz |first=Eric |date=March 9, 2021 |access-date=October 13, 2021 |archive-date=October 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211013202825/https://nerdist.com/article/nightmare-before-christmas-sequel-novel-sally-shea-ernshaw/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://thekingdominsider.com/nightmare-before-christmas-is-getting-a-sequel-in-book-form-ks1/ |website=Kingdom Insider |title="Nightmare Before Christmas" is Getting a Sequel…in Book Form! |date=September 18, 2021 |access-date=October 16, 2021 |archive-date=October 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211016085904/https://thekingdominsider.com/nightmare-before-christmas-is-getting-a-sequel-in-book-form-ks1/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://halloweendailynews.com/2021/07/nightmare-before-christmas-sequel-book-long-live-pumpkin-queen/ |website=Halloweendailynews |title='Nightmare Before Christmas' Sequel Book 'Long Live The Pumpkin Queen' Release Date Announced |date=July 24, 2021 |access-date=October 16, 2021 |archive-date=October 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211016233435/https://halloweendailynews.com/2021/07/nightmare-before-christmas-sequel-book-long-live-pumpkin-queen/ |url-status=live }}{{rs|date=April 2025}}

On November 1, 2022, Tokyopop announced a full-colored graphic novel series titled Disney Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas: The Battle for Pumpkin King, which centers around the friendship and rivalry between a young Jack Skellington and Oogie Boogie. The graphic novel consisted of five issues, starting with the first release in May 2023, and the full graphic novel edition is available in September 2023.{{cite web |date=November 1, 2022 |url=https://graphicpolicy.com/2022/11/01/tokyopop-reveals-a-new-nightmare-before-christmas-series-the-battle-for-pumpkin-king/ |title=Tokyopop Reveals A New Nightmare Before Christmas Series, The Battle For Pumpkin King |website=Graphic Policy |access-date=December 24, 2022 |archive-date=November 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221120010059/https://graphicpolicy.com/2022/11/01/tokyopop-reveals-a-new-nightmare-before-christmas-series-the-battle-for-pumpkin-king/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Leung |first=Hilary |date=November 1, 2022 |url=https://www.cbr.com/jack-oogie-boogie-friendship-manga-nightmare-before-christmas/ |title=Nightmare Before Christmas Is About to Reveal Jack and Oogie Boogie's Secret Friendship |website=CBR |access-date=December 24, 2022 |archive-date=November 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221112190415/https://www.cbr.com/jack-oogie-boogie-friendship-manga-nightmare-before-christmas/ |url-status=live }}{{better source|date=April 2025|reason=WP:RSP/VALNET}}{{cite web | url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/jack-skellingtons-pumpkin-king-origin-for-free-comic-book-day/ | title=Jack Skellington's Pumpkin King Origin for Free Comic Book Day | date=May 5, 2023 | access-date=May 10, 2023 | archive-date=May 10, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230510231111/https://bleedingcool.com/comics/jack-skellingtons-pumpkin-king-origin-for-free-comic-book-day/ | url-status=live }}

A novelization for The Nightmare Before Christmas, written by Megan Shepherd was released on July 4, 2023, to celebrate the 30th anniversary.{{cite book | isbn=978-1368094214 | title=Tim Burton's the Nightmare Before Christmas Novelization | last1=Shepherd | first1=Megan | date=July 4, 2023 | publisher=Disney Publishing }} On July 20, 2023, Shepherd also revealed that she will be writing a sequel to Ernshaw's Pumpkin Queen book and was expected for release in 2024.{{Cite web |last=Manning |first=Luke |date=2023-07-21 |title=Sequel Novel to "Long Live the Pumpkin Queen" Announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2023 |url=https://www.laughingplace.com/w/news/2023/07/20/long-live-the-pumpkin-queen-sequel-novel/ |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=LaughingPlace.com |language=en-US |archive-date=October 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231015034923/https://www.laughingplace.com/w/news/2023/07/20/long-live-the-pumpkin-queen-sequel-novel/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |first=Megan |last=Sheperd |title=BIG NEWS! Today at Comic Con... |url=https://www.facebook.com/meganshepherdauthor/posts/pfbid0vRRCX8uEmZhYXVDr2cGnZSHSmqU1zcn6DZ6HYBDCKMxKPaNnYFRWifUi2MCkkJjBl |website=Facebook |access-date=October 13, 2023 |archive-date=October 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231015034922/https://www.facebook.com/meganshepherdauthor/posts/pfbid0vRRCX8uEmZhYXVDr2cGnZSHSmqU1zcn6DZ6HYBDCKMxKPaNnYFRWifUi2MCkkJjBl |url-status=live }}

On July 19, 2023, Disney announced that it is partnering with Dynamite Entertainment to publish new comics based on the film, with the first project being written by Torunn Grønbekk.{{cite web | url=https://comicbook.com/comics/news/dynamite-to-publish-nightmare-before-christmas-comics/ | title=Dynamite to Publish Nightmare Before Christmas Comics | date=July 19, 2023 | access-date=July 20, 2023 | archive-date=July 20, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720214654/https://comicbook.com/comics/news/dynamite-to-publish-nightmare-before-christmas-comics/ | url-status=live }}{{cite web | url=https://collider.com/nightmare-before-christmas-comic/ | title='The Nightmare Before Christmas' is Back (In Comic Form) | website=Collider | date=July 19, 2023 | access-date=July 20, 2023 | archive-date=July 20, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720214653/https://collider.com/nightmare-before-christmas-comic/ | url-status=live }}{{better source|date=April 2025|reason=WP:RSP/VALNET}}{{cite web | url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/disney-announces-nightmare-christmas-comics-183553179.html | title=Disney Announces the Nightmare Before Christmas Comics, Writer Revealed | date=July 19, 2023 | access-date=July 20, 2023 | archive-date=July 20, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720214653/https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/disney-announces-nightmare-christmas-comics-183553179.html | url-status=live }}

On August 22, 2023, Epic Ink published a cultural book titled "Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Beyond Halloween Town: The Story, the Characters, and the Legacy'" by writer Emily Zemler.{{cite web | url=https://gizmodo.com/nightmare-before-christmas-book-burton-selick-disney-1850760260 | title=Take a Look at a New Book About the Nightmare Before Christmas | date=August 22, 2023 | access-date=August 22, 2023 | archive-date=August 22, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230822212550/https://gizmodo.com/nightmare-before-christmas-book-burton-selick-disney-1850760260 | url-status=live }}

Two Nightmare Before Christmas video games were released in the 2000s: The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge (2004) and The Nightmare Before Christmas: The Pumpkin King (2005).{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2005/11/01/the-nightmare-before-christmas-the-pumpkin-king|work=IGN|title=The Nightmare Before Christmas: The Pumpkin King|accessdate=April 30, 2025|date=October 31, 2005|last=Harris|first=Craig}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2005/10/07/tim-burtons-the-nightmare-before-christmas-oogies-revenge|work=IGN|title=Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge|last=Sulic|first=Ivan|date=October 6, 2005}} Ooogie's Revenge was released first in Japan, with IGN editor Ivan Sulic noting that was due to the film being being far more popular in that country than it was in North America. The game acts as a direct narrative sequel set one year after the events of the film. It includes contributions of voice actors and some crew of the film, including the art director.{{cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/gaming/23913274/nightmare-before-christmas-sequel-video-game-capcom|work=Polygon|title=The Nightmare Before Christmas Sequel was a Musical, Watered-down Devil May Cry Game|accessdate=October 13, 2023|last=McWhertor|first=Michael}}

File:Nightmare Before XMAS Live 20151031 185935.jpg, 2015]]

A live concert, produced by Disney Concerts, was held at the Hollywood Bowl in October 2015 and was followed by subsequent performances in 2016 and 2018. The shows featured Elfman, O'Hara, and Page reprising their roles from the film. In December 2019, this show came to Europe, with dates in Edinburgh, Glasgow, London and Dublin.{{cite news |last1=Kit |first1=Borys |title='The Nightmare Before Christmas' Getting 25th Anniversary Concert at Hollywood Bowl |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/nightmare-before-christmas-sets-hollywood-bowl-25th-anniversary-concert-1139056 |access-date=September 6, 2018 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=September 4, 2018 |archive-date=September 6, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906124544/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/nightmare-before-christmas-sets-hollywood-bowl-25th-anniversary-concert-1139056 |url-status=live }}

A one-night-only virtual benefit concert presentation of the film, presented by The Actors Fund and produced by James Monroe Iglehart with the cooperation of Burton, Elfman, Disney and Actors' Equity Association, streamed on October 31, 2020. 100% of the proceeds will benefit the Lymphoma Research Foundation, as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the performing arts. The cast included Iglehart as Oogie Boogie, along with Rafael Casal as Jack Skellington, Adrienne Warren as Sally, Danny Burstein as Santa Claus and the Narrator, Nik Walker as Lock, Lesli Margherita as Shock and Rob McClure as Barrel. Rounding out the cast were Kathryn Allison, Jenni Barber, Erin Elizabeth Clemons, Fergie L. Phillipe, Jawan M. Jackson and Brian Gonzalez.{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2020/10/nightmare-before-christmas-benefit-concert-broadway-james-monroe-iglehart-adrienne-warren-danny-elfman-tim-burton-1234593007/ |title='The Nightmare Before Christmas' Benefit Concert Draws Broadway Voices: James Monroe Iglehart, Adrienne Warren, Danny Burstein, More |work=Deadline |last=Evans |first=Greg |date=October 7, 2020 |access-date=October 13, 2021 |archive-date=October 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211005233405/https://deadline.com/2020/10/nightmare-before-christmas-benefit-concert-broadway-james-monroe-iglehart-adrienne-warren-danny-elfman-tim-burton-1234593007/ |url-status=live }}{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/theater/the-nightmare-before-christmas-virtual-benefit-concert/ |title=Broadway is coming together for virtual The Nightmare Before Christmas Halloween benefit concert |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |last=Jones |first=Marcus |date=October 7, 2020 |access-date=October 13, 2021 |archive-date=October 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017142643/https://ew.com/theater/the-nightmare-before-christmas-virtual-benefit-concert/ |url-status=live }}

In October 2021, Disney hosted a live-to-film concert of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas for two nights at LA's Banc of California Stadium on October 29 and 31. The show featured Billie Eilish singing as Sally and Danny Elfman reprising his role as Jack. Ken Page reprised the role of Oogie Boogie, while "Weird Al" Yankovic sang as Shock. The concert included a full orchestra led by acclaimed conductor John Mauceri to perform the film's score and songs live.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9639684/billie-eilish-sally-nightmare-before-christmas-live-to-film-concert-details|title=Billie Eilish to Perform as Sally in 'Nightmare Before Christmas' Live-to-Film Concert: Details|magazine=Billboard|access-date=October 16, 2021|archive-date=October 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017032319/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9639684/billie-eilish-sally-nightmare-before-christmas-live-to-film-concert-details|url-status=live}}{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/billie-eilish-sally-nightmare-before-christmas-concert-event-1235647/|title=Billie Eilish to Play Sally at 'Nightmare Before Christmas' Concert Event, Because of Course|first1=Daniel|last1=Kreps|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=October 1, 2021|access-date=October 16, 2021|archive-date=October 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211016230345/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/billie-eilish-sally-nightmare-before-christmas-concert-event-1235647/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2021/music/news/billie-eilish-nightmare-before-christmas-shows-danny-elfman-1235078831/|title=Billie Eilish to Join 'Nightmare Before Christmas' Shows in L.A. Alongside Danny Elfman|first1=Chris|last1=Willman|date=October 1, 2021|access-date=October 16, 2021|archive-date=October 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211016230335/https://variety.com/2021/music/news/billie-eilish-nightmare-before-christmas-shows-danny-elfman-1235078831/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://ew.com/music/billie-eilish-joins-nightmare-before-christmas-concert-film-sally/|title=Billie Eilish joins 'Nightmare Before Christmas' concerts film as Sally|first=Jolie|last=Lash|website=Ew.com|access-date=October 16, 2021|archive-date=October 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211016230345/https://ew.com/music/billie-eilish-joins-nightmare-before-christmas-concert-film-sally/|url-status=live}}

In October 2021, Disney announced that they were hosting another live-to-film concert at the OVO Arena Wembley in London on December 9 and 10, 2022. The show featured Elfman and Page reprising their respective roles, while John Mauceri returned as conductor alongside the BBC Concert Orchestra. Acclaimed singer and songwriter Phoebe Bridgers took on the role of Sally.{{cite magazine|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/phoebe-bridgers-joins-danny-elfmans-the-nightmare-before-christmas-concerts/|title=Phoebe Bridgers Joins Danny Elfman's The Nightmare Before Christmas Concerts|first1=Nina|last1=Corcoran|magazine=Pitchfork|date=October 17, 2022|access-date=October 18, 2022|archive-date=October 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221018142950/https://pitchfork.com/news/phoebe-bridgers-joins-danny-elfmans-the-nightmare-before-christmas-concerts/|url-status=live}}

In October 2023, Disney hosted another concert from October 27–29 at the Hollywood Bowl. Elfman, Page, Catherine O'Hara, and other guest stars are set to appear, including Halsey, who is sharing the role of Sally with O'Hara.{{Cite web |title=DISNEY Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas IN CONCERT |url=https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/events/performances/2858/2023-10-29/disney-tim-burtons-the-nightmare-before-christmas-in-concert |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=Hollywood Bowl |language=en |archive-date=October 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231009223459/https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/events/performances/2858/2023-10-29/disney-tim-burtons-the-nightmare-before-christmas-in-concert |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Willman |first=Chris |date=2023-10-09 |title=Halsey and Catherine O'Hara to Alternate as Sally in 'Nightmare Before Christmas' Production at Hollywood Bowl |url=https://variety.com/2023/music/news/halsey-nightmare-before-christmas-catherine-ohara-sally-hollywood-bowl-1235749108/ |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=Variety |language=en-US |archive-date=October 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231011044028/https://variety.com/2023/music/news/halsey-nightmare-before-christmas-catherine-ohara-sally-hollywood-bowl-1235749108/ |url-status=live }} However, days before the concert, Halsey dropped out from her role due to a "scheduling conflict".{{Cite magazine |last=Kaufman |first=Gil |date=2023-10-30 |title=Halsey Quietly Dropped Out of Live 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' Performances Due to 'Scheduling Conflict' |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/halsey-dropped-out-live-nightmare-before-christmas-performance-scheduling-conflict-1235457952/ |access-date=2023-11-22 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US |archive-date=October 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231030220342/https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/halsey-dropped-out-live-nightmare-before-christmas-performance-scheduling-conflict-1235457952/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite magazine |last=Kreps |first=Daniel |date=2023-10-28 |title=Halsey Drops Out of Danny Elfman's 'Nightmare Before Christmas' Concerts |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/halsey-drops-out-nightmare-before-christmas-concerts-1234865117/ |access-date=2023-11-22 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US |archive-date=October 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231030220342/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/halsey-drops-out-nightmare-before-christmas-concerts-1234865117/ |url-status=live }} The 2023 concert series was dedicated to Paul Reubens, the original voice of Lock, who died in July that year.{{fact|date=April 2025}}

Disney Interactive Studios released an As Told by Emoji animated adaptation of The Nightmare Before Christmas in 2016, which can be found on their official YouTube channel.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fX14KNFJDg |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/0fX14KNFJDg| archive-date=2021-12-12|title=The Nightmare Before Christmas As Told By Emoji : Disney |author=Disney Channel NL |date=October 29, 2016 |website=youtube.com |access-date=October 13, 2021 |url-status=live}}{{cbignore}}

In 2019, a behind-the-scenes podcast series about The Nightmare Before Christmas was made, featuring the animators, producers and other crew discussing the making of the movie, totaling 38 episodes.{{cite web |url=https://www.weknowjackshow.com/episodes |title=Episodes |website=Weknowjackshow.com |access-date=October 13, 2021 |archive-date=October 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211021170350/https://www.weknowjackshow.com/episodes |url-status=live }}{{sps|date=April 2025}}

• List of cult films
• List of ghost films
• List of films set around Halloween
• List of Christmas films
• Santa Claus in film

{{Notelist}}

; Footnotes

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book | first = Frank | last = Thompson | title = Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas: The Film, the Art and the Vision | type = Paperback |date=July 2002 | publisher = Hyperion | isbn = 978-0-7868-5378-6 }}
• {{cite book | first = Jun | last = Asaga | title = Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas | type = Paperback | date = July 2002 | publisher = Disney Press | isbn = 978-0-7868-3849-3 | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/timburtonsnightm00timb }} Manga adaptation of the film.

{{Commons category}}

{{Wikiquote}}

• {{Official website}}
• {{IMDb title}}
• {{Mojo title}}
• {{Rotten Tomatoes}}
• {{TCMDb title}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20171024205545/http://www.timburtoncollective.com/articles/nightmare_articles.html The Nightmare Before Christmas] at The Tim Burton Collective
• {{cite news | first = John | last = Scalzi | title = Why Tim Burton's Recurring Nightmare Remains So Popular | url = https://www.amc.com/scifi-scanner/2008/08/john-scalzi-nightmare-before-christmas.php | work = AMC | date = August 28, 2008 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080912215241/http://blogs.amctv.com/scifi-scanner/2008/08/john-scalzi-nightmare-before-christmas.php | archive-date = September 12, 2008 | df = mdy-all | author-link = John Scalzi }}
• [https://vimeo.com/3795656 Nightmare Before Christmas Behind the Scenes] A time lapse of the stop-motion animation process.

{{Navboxes

|title = The Nightmare Before Christmas

|list =

{{The Nightmare Before Christmas}}

{{Henry Selick}}

{{Tim Burton}}

{{Disney theatrical animated features}}

{{Walt Disney Animation Studios}}

{{Disney Christmas films}}

{{Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Animated Film}}

{{Saturn Award for Best Fantasy Film 1991–2010}}

}}

{{Authority control}}

{{Portal bar|Film|United States|1990s|Cartoon|Animation|Speculative fiction|Fantasy|Holidays|Disney}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nightmare Before Christmas, The}}

Category:1993 films

Category:1993 American animated films

Category:1993 children's films

Category:1993 comedy horror films

Category:1993 directorial debut films

Category:1993 fantasy films

Category:1990s children's fantasy films

Category:1990s Christmas horror films

Category:1990s dark fantasy films

Category:1990s English-language films

Category:1990s ghost films

Category:1990s monster movies

Category:1990s musical fantasy films

Category:1990s stop-motion animated films

Category:3D re-releases

Category:4DX films

Category:American 3D films

Category:American animated horror films

Category:American children's animated comedy films

Category:American children's animated fantasy films

Category:American children's animated musical films

Category:American Christmas horror films

Category:American comedy horror films

Category:American dark fantasy films

Category:American ghost films

Category:American monster movies

Category:American musical fantasy films

Category:American films about Halloween

Category:Animated films about Halloween

Category:Animated Christmas films

Category:Animated films about demons

Category:Animated films about kings

Category:Animated films about witchcraft

Category:Animated films based on poems

Category:Animated films based on works by American writers

Category:Children's horror films

Category:Christmas adventure films

Category:Halloween adventure films

Category:Halloween horror films

Category:English-language Christmas films

Category:English-language comedy horror films

Category:English-language musical fantasy films

Category:Films about Bogeymen

Category:Films about parallel universes

Category:Films directed by Henry Selick

Category:Films produced by Tim Burton

Category:Films produced by Denise Di Novi

Category:Films scored by Danny Elfman

Category:Films with screenplays by Caroline Thompson

Category:Santa Claus in film

Category:Saturn Award–winning films

Category:Supernatural fantasy films

Category:Touchstone Pictures animated films

Category:Touchstone Pictures films

Category:United States National Film Registry films

Category:Walt Disney Pictures animated films

Category:1993 musical films