Jack Skellington was once human. Some theories state his origin is tied to the Irish legend of Stingy Jack. In the story, Stingy Jack deceives the devil. Upon his death, God didn't let him into heaven, and the devil locked him out of hell.
Jack, as the "Pumpkin King" and master of ceremonies, is in charge of Halloween Town's Halloween celebration. He is loved, respected, and even idolized by the other residents for his role, but he has grown weary of celebrating the same holiday endlessly and is depressed about it.
One cameo appearance, in particular, has made way for a theory that claims part of Jack Skellington's backstory was revealed and he was a pirate before he died, which explains his chaotic actions in The Nightmare Before Christmas, though it also leaves some unanswered questions.
Jack Skellington, also known as the "Pumpkin King", is the main protagonist of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas and all Nightmare Before Christmas media. Jack is an extremely tall skeleton who wears a black pin-striped suit, complete with a bat bow-tie and black dress shoes.
What is the origin of The Nightmare Before Christmas?
The movie was based on a poem.
"The Nightmare Before Christmas" was based on a poem written by Burton when he was an animator for Disney. Selik told the Daily Beast in 2013, "Tim rewrote the classic poem, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas,' along with designs for Jack Skellington, his dog, Zero, and Santa Claus."
Who Was Jack Skellington BEFORE He Died?: Disney Theory
Who was Jack Skellington before he died?
Jack Skellington's appearance in James and the Giant Peach as Captain Jack suggests that he was a pirate before he died, explaining his chaotic actions in The Nightmare Before Christmas.
What are The Nightmare Before Christmas characters based on?
Burton once confirmed that three of the characters in The Nightmare Before Christmas were inspired by an episode of The Twilight Zone. If you've ever seen the film, you likely remember the troublesome trio of Lock, Shock, and Barrel, voiced by Catherine O'Hara, Danny Elfman, and the late Paul Reubens.
Oogie Boogie was the obvious choice to step up and take control of the day to day stuff, but Jack was worried that Oogie's perverse personality and love of gambling would slowly cause the town to lose its Halloween spirit.
The film's protagonist, Jack Skellington is a skeleton who holds the title of The Pumpkin King. He is popular among the residents of Halloween Town for his charming personality and aim to please, as he is well-meaning despite a lack of inhibition.
What does Jack represent in Nightmare Before Christmas?
Jack Skellington provides a great illustration of the search for purpose and meaning in one's vocation. His journey is one that many of us can resonate with.
Later, as Jack did his experiments on Christmas, he was visited by Sally who had escaped once again from the doctor due to having enough her creator's overprotectiveness. Jack waved at Sally, entranced by her beauty, as she gave him a gift basket.
What happened to Sally Nightmare Before Christmas?
The 2022 Disney novel Long Live the Pumpkin Queen confirms that Sally and Jack were married and that Sally discovers her real ragdoll parents, concluding with the couple happily settled in Halloween Town.
After hearing stories about the supposed "Pumpkin King" of Halloween Town, an envious Oogie Boogie became obsessed with outclassing Jack as the scariest ghoul there is. His manner of doing so developed into a coup to take over Halloween and rebranding it as "Crawloween"—a holiday dedicated to bugs.
How did Tim Burton come up with Nightmare Before Christmas?
The Nightmare Before Christmas originated from a poem written by Burton in 1982 while he was working as an animator at Walt Disney Productions. With the critical success of Vincent that same year, Burton began to consider developing the film as either a short film or a half-hour television special, to no avail.
The kids named him Zero, after Jack Skellington's spooky ghost dog in Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas." So sick in his young age, he was spectral — yet fiercely loyal.
Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, is a curious, skeletal leader whose scare powers are only rivaled by his holiday spirit. He is now capable of conjuring incredible holiday gear mash-ups, which can inspire spirited vibes in those around him, whether they like it or not!
Jack Skellington is the patron spirit of Halloween, portrayed as being on par with Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny within his own holiday. As a living skeleton, he is immortal and can remove parts of his body without harm, as is often demonstrated for comic relief.
While the main characters of The Corpse Bride and Frankenweenie share the same first name, they don't share their last ones. Victor Frankenstein isn't the same person as Victor van Dort. And Jack Skellington is a completely different name. And, obviously, Zero, Sparky, and Scraps are all different names, too.
In his attempts to turn Halloween into Bug Day, Oogie Boogie tries to kidnap Jack AKA the Pumpkin King, but Sally is kidnapped by mistake. Oogie Boogie decides to hold her hostage until Jack comes to save her and the town from his terror. It is from this experience that Sally falls in love with Jack.
It's no wonder he's so feared and despised among the Halloweentown natives, and Jack loses a bit of his cheeriness when he brings him up. Personality: Oogie Boogie is a serial killer, a sadist, a torture enthusiast, and an utter psychopath… and he absolutely, completely relishes in all of these things.
Jack Skellington was once human. Some theories state his origin is tied to the Irish legend of Stingy Jack. In the story, Stingy Jack deceives the devil. Upon his death, God didn't let him into heaven, and the devil locked him out of hell.
Jack Skellington has made nine cameos outside of The Nightmare Before Christmas, including in films like Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands. Jack Skellington's iconic face and figure can be spotted in various forms throughout other movies, showcasing Tim Burton's distinctive style and affinity for Halloween.
What time period is Nightmare Before Christmas set in?
The movie takes place during the time between Halloween and Christmas, meaning most of the action actually occurs during November (a fact some contrarians have latched on to and used to declare it… wait for it…a Thanksgiving movie). I mean, there's even a countdown to Christmas Day!
Is there going to be a Nightmare Before Christmas 2?
Tim Burton is clear that a sequel or a reboot of The Nightmare Before Christmas is not happening. In a new interview, the director talks about what he thinks about the idea of the stop-motion film getting a follow-up 30 years after the movie's debut.
