So many Disney movies are based on books and fairy tales that it begs the question: is Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas also based on a book? The Nightmare Before Christmas was released in October 1993, and follows the story of Jack Skellington, who is seeking a new purpose, growing tired of his yearly routine. The film was the first full-length stop-motion animation, consisting of 227 puppets, with Jack himself having 400 different heads for his various emotions.

The Nightmare Before Christmas has become a Halloween and Christmas staple over the past three decades, with its enchanting songs from Danny Elfman. The film is full of unique and endearing characters, particularly those from Halloween Town, as they work to spread Christmas joy in their own unconventional way. At its core, this classic imparts a message about discovering one's purpose. Despite the film's widespread recognition as a Disney movie, The Nightmare Before Christmas's original origins may be surprising for viewers.

The Nightmare Before Christmas Is Based On A 1982 Poem By Tim Burton

The Nightmare Before Christmas started as a poem written by Tim Burton when he was working as a young animator for Disney. After Burton's Disney short film Vincent, which is about a boy who idolized the horror film star Vincent Price, he wrote and pitched his poem. The poem drew inspiration from The Night Before Christmas and Burton's observation of Halloween and Christmas decorations next to each other at the store. He then worked to unite the two holidays in his original poem in 1982.

Though the fundamental narrative follows Jack Skellington's journey for fulfillment outside his everyday life in Halloween Town, there are notable differences between the poem and the movie. The biggest difference lies in the lack of a romantic plot line between Jack and Sally, with her character not being included in the original poem. Furthermore, The Nightmare Before Christmas' villain, Oogie Boogie, was not part of the poem. Both characters were added during the film's development to enhance the storyline, providing more complexity and depth to the tale.

Why It Took 11 Years For Disney To Turn Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas Poem Into A Movie

After Burton wrote the poem in 1982, he and sculptor Rick Heinrichs pitched the movie to Disney in 1983. Initially, there were talks to bring the story to life as a short film or half-hour television show, but these plans failed to materialize. Disney then fired Burton in 1984 due to his distinctive dark and quirky style, which was not a fit for the studio at the time.

In 1990, after his successes with 1988s Beetlejuice and 1989s Batman, Walt Disney Studios made a development deal with Burton. Although Burton wanted to direct the film, he was unable to because of his work on Batman Returns. The Nightmare Before Christmas began production in July 1991, with the stop-motion animation taking about 18 months to complete. After 11 years, Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas finally was released in theaters, a journey that all began with Burton's original poem.

Sources: iHorror, Distractify