It’s been 26 years since the classic Halloween (or Christmas) movie The Nightmare Before Christmas was first released and while we’re not exactly begging for a sequel, Jack Skellington, himself, has other ideas.
Chris Sarandon, who voiced Jack in the film (Danny Elfman provided the singing voice), is 100 per cent keen for a sequel and has revealed he’d do anything to do it.
Speaking with ComicBook.Com, Sarandon said, “I’d crawl on my hands and knees, from the East Coast to the West Coast, in the spring or the fall, to do it again. Of course I would. I love that character and I love that I’m part of a legacy of that character as well.”
OK, now that’s commitment!
Sarandon, who also starred as Prince Humperdink in The Princess Bride, said what he isn’t so keen on is people thinking they could remake either of the iconic films.
“I don’t understand why anybody would need to remake [The Princess Bride or The Nightmare Before Christmas], because they are so specific in their effects,” he said.
“They are so iconic in so many ways and have such a cultural imprint, that I don’t see how it can be anything but a disappointment for folks who are fans of the originals, to remake it.”
“Why remake something that has such a broad appeal? Unless you’re going to do, say, an animated version of Princess Bride, or if you’re going to do a live-action version of The Nightmare Before Christmas, which I’ve heard rumours they’re thinking of.”
He’s not wrong, earlier this year Moviehole reported Disney was keen to create a sequel or live-action reboot for The Nightmare Before Christmas.
If this was the case, we wouldn’t be surprised at all if Disney went for the live-action reboot as it’s obviously their new favourite thing to do. But if they could get a good script for a stop motion sequel, then original fans may jump on board.
Tim Burton, who created the characters and story, isn’t so keen on a sequel. Speaking with MTV News in 2006 he said, “I was always very protective of [Nightmare], not to do sequels or things of that kind. 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 not a mass-market kind of thing, it was important to kind of keep that purity of it. I try to respect people and keep the purity of the project as much as possible.”
He also revealed how he came up with the story and characters, “Well, I was hallucinating. I had a 108-temperature fever that night,” Burton recalled.
“I think that’s where you get your best ideas, the ones that kind of come out of your subconscious. They always have more power that way.”
Disney has the rights to the film, but it’s unlikely they’ll do anything without Burton’s blessing.
Of course, 2006 was a long time ago, Burton’s feelings may have changed, but we hope not.