The Nightmare Before Christmas
“A holiday film for the whole family... except yours.”
Synopsis
Tired of scaring humans every October 31 with the same old bag of tricks, Jack Skellington, the spindly king of Halloween Town, kidnaps Santa Claus and plans to deliver shrunken heads and other ghoulish gifts to children on Christmas morning. But as Christmas approaches, Jack's rag-doll girlfriend, Sally, tries to foil his misguided plans.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
1994 International Trailer
Type: Trailer • Published 2024-10-08
Top Cast
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Danny Elfman
Jack Skellington (singing) / Barrel / Clown with the Tear away Face (voice)
Chris Sarandon
Jack Skellington (voice)
Catherine O'Hara
Sally / Shock (voice)
William Hickey
Dr. Finkelstein (voice)
Glenn Shadix
Mayor (voice)
Paul Reubens
Lock (voice)
Ken Page
Oogie Boogie (voice)
Edward Ivory
Santa Claus (voice)
Susan McBride
Big Witch / WWD. (voice)
Debi Durst
Corpse Kid / Corpse Mom / Small Witch (voice)
Greg Proops
Harlequin Demon / Devil / Sax Player (voice)
Kerry Katz
Man Under Stairs / Vampire / Corpse Dad (voice)
Randy Crenshaw
Mr. Hyde / Behemoth / Vampire Corpse Dad (voice)
Sherwood Ball
Mummy / Vampire (voice)
Carmen Twillie
Undersea Gal / Man Under the Stairs (voice)
Glenn Walters
Wolfman (voice)
Mia Brown
Additional Voices (voice)
L. Peter Callender
Additional Voices (voice)
Release History & Theatrical Window
Stockholm International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
October 13, 1993
Wide Cinema Exhibition
May 10, 1994
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$18M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$75.6M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
4.2x
+$57.6M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Henry Selick
- Screenplay & Story
- Caroline Thompson
- Original Score
- Danny Elfman
- Original Title
- The Nightmare Before Christmas
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 16m
- Production Budget
- $18M
- Worldwide Gross
- $75.6M
- Production Studios
- Touchstone Pictures, Skellington Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Henry Selick
Caroline Thompson, Michael McDowell, Tim Burton
Danny Elfman
Pete Kozachik
Stan Webb
Don Hahn, Tim Burton, Denise Di Novi
Department Leadership Roster
Don Hahn
Producer
Pete Kozachik
Director of Photography
Tim Burton
Producer
Henry Selick
Director
Stan Webb
Editor
Denise Di Novi
Producer
Danny Elfman
Original Music Composer
Caroline Thompson
Screenplay
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG: Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
International Certification Matrix
General — Suitable for all audiences.
Parental Guidance Suggested.
FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.
Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.
Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Nightmare Before Christmas.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Nightmare Before Christmas
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Nightmare Before Christmas about?
Tired of scaring humans every October 31 with the same old bag of tricks, Jack Skellington, the spindly king of Halloween Town, kidnaps Santa Claus and plans to deliver shrunken heads and other ghoulish gifts to children on Christmas morning. But as Christmas approaches, Jack's rag-doll girlfriend, Sally, tries to foil his misguided plans.
Who directed The Nightmare Before Christmas?
The Nightmare Before Christmas was directed by Henry Selick.
Who stars in The Nightmare Before Christmas?
The principal cast of The Nightmare Before Christmas includes Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, Catherine O'Hara, William Hickey, Glenn Shadix.
When was The Nightmare Before Christmas released and how long is it?
The Nightmare Before Christmas was released in 1993 with a total runtime of 1h 16m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Nightmare Before Christmas?
The Nightmare Before Christmas had a reported production budget of $18M and grossed $75.6M at the worldwide box office (4.2 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for The Nightmare Before Christmas?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Nightmare Before Christmas was composed by Danny Elfman.
Is The Nightmare Before Christmas based on a book or true story?
The Nightmare Before Christmas is adapted from the following source material: Characters: "Tim Burton".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Nightmare Before Christmas?
The Nightmare Before Christmas holds official age classifications: AU: G (General — Suitable for all audiences.); CA: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested.); DE: 6 (FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.); FR: TP; GB: PG (Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.); US: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.).