We all know Disney loves to make a buck (and multiple sequels) off of any IP that gets butts in seats and kids in stores. Still, you might be surprised to hear that the Mouse House didn’t initially think a seven-ish-foot-tall skeleton and a sack full of pests were as safe a bet as Cinderella or The Lion King. While stop-motion creep-fest The Nightmare Before Christmas is nothing short of a classic 30 years on from its original release, execs apparently used to be pretty spooked by the film.
“There was very little merchandising at first, but then Disney realized the film’s growing in popularity and they capitalized on that,” director Henry Selick recently told People. “Finally, Disney called it a Disney film because originally, they were afraid it was too strange, [and] it would damage their brand.” The film was originally released under former label Touchstone to add further separation, he added.
Now, Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland transform into Halloween Town every year around this time for their annual Halloween party, Oogie Boogie Bash (no real bugs, thank goodness), complete with a festive Haunted Mansion re-theme and meet-and-greet with the Boogie Man himself. “It didn’t seem to happen suddenly. It was just this steady growth, and then it ramped way up,” Selick added.
Chris Sarandon, who voices Jack, also chimed in about why the film resonated with so many people over the years. “A lot of young people come up to me and say, ‘This was a movie that made me feel like I belonged,’ because it was so strange and at the same time so beautiful, and its message was so positive,” he said. “And as it turns out, they, in turn, now are watching it with their children.” If only Disney would take a break from their endless churn of remakes and ride movies, they might have a generational hit like this on their hands once again.