Why Tim Burton Decided Not To Direct Nightmare Before Christmas

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"The Nightmare Before Christmas" was based on a poem that Tim Burton penned in 1982, back when he was working as an animator for Disney. Additionally, Burton provided a lot of the film's character and production designs, creating stick-like skeletons, off-kilter buildings, and other monsters that possess a chaotic, scribble-like quality. Burton was also likely responsible for hiring Danny Elfman to write the film's songs and music, as the pair had already collaborated on "Pee Wee's Big Adventure," "Beetlejuice," "Batman," and "Edward Scissorhands." "The Nightmare Before Christmas" feels like a Burton project through-and-through. The title card even reads: "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas."

Which is a little unfair to Henry Selick, the film's director.

"The Nightmare Before Christmas" was Selick's feature directorial debut. He'd previously helmed several shorts going back to 1975, including "Tube Tales," "Phases," "Seepage," and "Slow Bob in the Lower Dimensions." Like Burton, Selick had also worked as an animator for Disney before ditching the company in the early 1980s, so they had a similar professional upbringing. While Burton spent the rest of the '80s becoming one of Hollywood's most in-demand directors, Selick did a lot of lucrative commercial work, most notably animating the Pillsbury Dough Boy. Hence, by 1990, he'd acquired a good deal of experience with stop-motion animation, especially on a large budget.

It was Selick's experience — plus an off-kilter animation sensibility that Burton loved — that led to him directing "The Nightmare Before Christmas" after he and Burton began developing it together in the late '80s and early '90s. Plus, just as importantly, Burton was a little busy with his "Batman" films during that period, as he discussed in the book "Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas: The Ultimate Visual History."

The book clarifies that Selick was a Disney employee at the same time as Burton in 1982, when Burton wrote his original "Nightmare Before Christmas" poem. Selick, the story goes, saw Burton's early sketches and remembered them for years. He's quoted as saying it looked like one of the most interesting projects he had ever seen. Recall that the late 1970s and early 1980s were also a low period for Disney, with several notable misfires leading to talks of shutting down the company's animation department for good. Burton's off-kilter sensibility was likely a creative breath of fresh air.

Fast-forward to 1989, when Burton and Selick reunited. "Henry wasn't the Disney animator-type," Burton explained. "He was much more experimental and used different mediums. Luckily, the timing worked out." Selick was approached by producer Rick Heinrichs, who handed him a copy of Burton's poem, as well as three songs that Elfman had already composed. That was enough to get Selick interested. He knew exactly how to make a stop-motion movie, so he began assembling a team of animators. Burton, meanwhile, was putting the finishing touches on "Batman" for Warner Bros. "Batman" was a massive tentpole, so Burton most certainly had his hands full. Selick, meanwhile, had the time and experience, so he directed "The Nightmare Before Christmas," with Burton being credited as a writer and executive producer.

"The Nightmare Before Christmas" was initially eschewed by Disney for being too dark and scary, so it was released under its more "adult" label, Touchstone Pictures. Speaking to the AV Club in 2022, Selick clarified that "Tim Burton's" was added to the film's title a mere three weeks before its release as a marketing strategy. Make no mistake: Selick directed the movie and deserves the lion's share of credit for one of the most enduring holiday classics in its generation.