“Get off of my land”: The 1 Movie Tim Burton Would Rather Die Than Let Anyone Make a Sequel Out of

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas is turning 30 this year. With so many sequels being released this year, from John Wick 4 to Evil Dead Rise, many are holding on to their hot cup of chocolate in late November as they approach Christmas and wondering if their beloved film might also get a sequel.

The Nightmare Before Christmas is a cult classic in every sense of the word. It is almost impossible to believe that a movie of its stature was not a box office hit when it came out. From being an iconic staple for Halloween or Christmas, Tim Burton not only created a movie, he created an aesthetic palette that would foreshadow one of his greatest works to come. Some of the songs from the movie, like This Is Halloween or What’s This, now make religious rounds on TikTok during festive occasions.

So one can imagine the surprise when Tim Burton recently said in an interview that he is vehemently against any sequel to the movie.

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Why is Tim Burton against the idea of a sequel to The Nightmare Before Christmas?

Tim Burton is not someone who is against sequels of any kind. In fact, the project he is working on right now is a sequel to one of his classic masterpieces, Beetlejuice. But in a recent interview with Empire, he opened up about how he does not want any sequels or reboots happening to this film. He also goes on to state that although it is nice to see people being so enthusiastic about the possibility of a sequel even after so many years, it is not something he wants:

“To me the movie is very important,” he tells Empire. “I’ve done sequels, I’ve done other things, I’ve done reboots, I’ve done all that sh*t, right? I don’t want that to happen to this. It’s nice that people are maybe interested [in another one], but I’m not. I feel like that old guy who owns a little piece of property and won’t sell to the big power-plant that wants to take my land.”

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He continues to drive home his point in an elaborate manner:

“Get off of my land! You pesky little… You ain’t getting this property! I don’t care what you want to build on it. You come on my property… Where’s my shotgun?”

He also reveals how the character of Skellington is very personal to Burton. He connects with him on a personal level because he is a character that is perceived as dark but, in reality, is as light as the air. He goes on to explain:

“Those are the kinds of things that I love, whether it’s [Edward] Scissorhands or Batman, characters that have that. It represented all those feelings that I had. I was perceived as this dark character, when I didn’t feel that way. So it was a very personal character.” 

So, it is no wonder he would want his favorite movie to be untouched and undisturbed. 

How has Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas performed in these 30 years?

Even though it did not do well at the box office, it has always been a spooky favorite for occasions such as home videos. It has come a long way and still reigns in the hearts of the audience as a cult classic. Although a sequel is not coming anytime soon, the story has been explored in other mediums as a video game called The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie’s Revenge. It kind of picked up where the film ended, so it served almost like a sequel. Tim Burton himself was involved in the project.

Also Read: Beetlejuice 2: Tim Burton Claims He Fell in Love With Movies Again After Working With Partner Monica Bellucci for the Sequel

Last year, a YA novel called Long Live the Pumpkin Queen came out as well, which also begins where the film ends and shows the world from Sally’s point of view. 

The Nightmare Before Christmas is streaming on Disney+.