10 Movies With Surprising Jack Skellington Cameos

Summary

• Jack Skellington has had nine total cameos in films outside of The Nightmare Before Christmas.
• The character first appeared in 1988’s Beetlejuice, before the iconic 1993 movie.
• Tim Burton’s distinctive style often includes Jack’s face or figure in other movies he’s involved in.

The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of the most popular Holiday movies, and while there hasn’t been a sequel, there are a number of Jack Skellington cameos where he can be seen in other movies. The 1993 movie was modestly successful when it was first released, but it has gone on to become a beloved classic, and it’s one of the few Christmas movies that can be watched outside of the festive season, as it’s an annual Halloween staple too.

Not only is Jack Skellington one of Tim Burton’s most famous and recognizable characters, but he’s also the only one with his own filmography. While there’s a demand for The Nightmare Before Christmas 2, the iconic protagonist can still be found in other movies, even ones released before the 1993 animated musical classic. Outside The Nightmare Before Christmas, There have been nine Jack Skellington cameos in total. Whether it’s by a full-body appearance as a featured character or a simple cameo of his smiling skeletal face, Jack has had more than a few film appearances outside his spooky realm.

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Related The Nightmare Before Christmas Voice Cast & Character Guide

It’s hailed as one of the best stop-motion animation ever made, but what do the actors who voice The Nightmare Before Christmas characters look like?

10 Beetlejuice

Released In 1988

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Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice stars Michael Keaton as the titular “bio-exorcist”, an obnoxious spirit who specializes in driving living occupants out of homes. When Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam Maitland (Alec Baldwin) die suddenly, they pass into the spirit realm, and must stay in their home. However, in the living world, the Deetz family purchases the house and moves in, prompting the Maitlands to enlist the help of Beetlejuice to drive them away.

Director Tim Burton Release Date March 30, 1988 Cast Catherine O’Hara , Michael Keaton , Geena Davis , Alec Baldwin , Winona Ryder , Jeffrey Jones Runtime 92 minutes Writers Michael McDowell , Larry Wilson , Warren Skaaren See at Tubi

Technically, Jack Skellington’s first big screen appearance wasn’t in The Nightmare Before Christmas, but in 1988’s Beetlejuice. Seeing how the film weighs heavily with Tim Burton’s distinctive style featuring skeletons, snakes, and other spooky creatures, it’s not surprising that a familiarly freaky face would make an appearance in the director’s aesthetic.

The character is already equipped with spiders, bats, bugs, rats, and other creepy crawlies.

As Beetlejuice is summoned in the third act of the film, Jack’s head can be seen on top of his circus-inspired attire. Of course, the character is already equipped with spiders, bats, bugs, rats, and other creepy crawlies, so Jack’s face certainly makes a fitting accent to his appearance.

Of course, Tim Burton had begun developing the idea of Jack Skellington long before the design appeared on screen in Beetlejuice. Burton had created the design for the character at least six years before.

9 Vincent

Released In 1982

Vincent (1982) G

Vincent is a short stop-motion animated film directed by Tim Burton, featuring the voice of Vincent Price. The film follows a young boy named Vincent Malloy who dreams of emulating the life of the iconic horror actor Vincent Price, blending his ordinary suburban world with dark and imaginative Gothic fantasies. Todd-Burton’s poetic narration and distinctive animation style create a compelling interpretation of youthful imagination and artistic longing.

Director Tim Burton Release Date October 1, 1982 Cast Vincent Price Runtime 6 Minutes

Based on Burton’s poem of the same name, Vincent tells the tale of a young boy with a vivid imagination and an affinity for the gruesome and grim. A sentiment that is made visually clear by some fearsome fantasies towards the end. The short film states:

”
While other kids read books like Go, Jane, Go!, Vincent’s favorite author is Edgar Allan Poe.
”

One of these gruesome ghouls that appear in the boy’s dreamscape bears a striking resemblance to the Pumpkin King. Seen with the ghost of a dead wife and a zombified version of Vincent’s dog, a skeletal figure can be seen at the left side of the shot, ready to terrorize the frightened Vincent-Price-wannabe.

The early design would become the blueprint for Jack Skellington in The Nightmare Before Christmas, the story eventually conceived by Burton. It makes sense then that audiences so often consider the movie to be Tim Burton’s work even though Henry Selick was the director of Disney’s Nightmare. Selick has even voiced his difficulty (via The AV Club) with so much attention being paid to Burton at the time:

“… that was a little unfair because it wasn’t called Tim Burton’s Nightmare until three weeks before the film came out. I would have been fine with that, if that’s what I signed up for. But Tim was in L.A. making two features while I directed that film, and I mean, Tim is a genius — or he certainly was in his most creative years. I always thought his story was perfect, and he designed the main characters. But it was really me and my team of people who brought that to life.”

Related Nightmare Before Christmas’ Jack Skellington Oddly Shares 1 Crucial Scene With 15 Disney Princess Movies

Jack Skellington surprisingly takes part in a classic Disney princess movie trope in one of The Nightmare Before Christmas’ earliest scenes.

8 Edward Scissorhands

Released In 1990

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From director Tim Burton, Edward Scissorhands follows the titular character, an artificial human created by an inventor, who has scissor blades instead of fingers. After his creator’s death, Edward is taken in by a normal suburban family and becomes attracted to the family’s teenage daughter, Kim Boggs. Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder star as Edward and Kim. 

Director Tim Burton Release Date December 14, 1990 Cast Vincent Price , Dianne Wiest , Anthony Michael Hall , Johnny Depp , Winona Ryder , Kathy Baker Runtime 105 minutes Writers Caroline Thompson See at HBO Max

This feature might take a few moments to properly recognize, and it might not actually be a full Jack Skellington cameo, but the resemblance between the designs is uncanny. The cookie factory flashback in Edward Scissorhands drips with Burtonesque imagery, but it’s the mixing machine that bears a remarkable similarity to Jack Skellington.

From the shape of its head to the wide eyes and toothy grin created by its bolts, there’s no mistaking that it’s Jack’s face and figure working those mechanical whisks. Perhaps Edward wasn’t the only creature to be given a life of his own.

Interestingly, there’s another Nightmare Before Christmas character that fans believe might appear in Edward Scissorhands as well. Oogie Boogie’s design seems to be echoed in a statue in the movie, lending credence to the idea that Oogie Boogie’s design might have been based on the statue, or that the character might have already been an idea in Burton’s mind at the time, just like Jack.

7 James And The Giant Peach

Released In 1996

James and the Giant Peach PGAnimationAdventureFamily Where to Watch

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An orphan who lives with his two cruel aunts befriends anthropomorphic bugs who live inside a giant peach, and they embark on a journey to New York City.

Director Henry Selick Release Date April 12, 1996 Runtime 79 Minutes Writers Roald Dahl , Karey Kirkpatrick , Jonathan Roberts Cast Paul Terry , Joanna Lumley , Pete Postlethwaite , Simon Callow , Richard Dreyfuss , Jane Leeves , Miriam Margolyes , Susan Sarandon See at Disney Plus

While Burton might have created Jack Skellington, director Henry Selick was the one who brought him to life on the big screen. However, that wasn’t the only stop-motion project the two worked on together and not the only time Jack made a full appearance in one of Selick’s movies.

When Centepide dives into the icy waters to explore the sunken pirate ship in James and the Giant Peach, he is soon set upon by a load of skeletal pirates. When he discovers the captain clutching the compass, played by Jack, he even refers to him as a “Skellington” before being grabbed by the creepy crew.

This particular cameo hints to a wider universe, that the two movies are connected beyond just an Easter egg since they even use the same for the figure. It leads to the question of whether there is a whole Skellington family out there somewhere.

6 Sleepy Hollow

Released In 1999

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Sleepy Hollow is a supernatural horror thriller by director Tim Burton and Starring Johnny Depp and Christina Ricci. Based on the original tale by Washington Irving, Sleepy Hollow follows constable Ichabod Crane as he is sent to the titular northern New York town to investigate a series of beheadings. However, the scholarly Crane’s foe is a supernatural being that cannot be explained – The Headless Horseman.

Director Tim Burton Release Date November 19, 1999 Runtime 106 Minutes Writers Andrew Kevin Walker , Kevin Yagher Cast Johnny Depp , Christina Ricci , Miranda Richardson , Michael Gambon , Casper Van Dien , Jeffrey Jones See at HBO Max

It makes sense that most of Jack Skellington’s movie appearances come in projects Tim Burton is actively involved in. If it wasn’t already apparent, Tim Burton cherishes all things Halloween, and that affection is clearly demonstrated in the dark fantasy movie Sleepy Hollow. However, the Headless Horseman isn’t the only holiday icon that shows up in the film, as Jack’s Pumpkin King form can be seen during the opening chase of the movie.

The design of the scarecrow isn’t uncommon with a thin body and a pumpkin head, but the particular cut of the face on the pumpkin will look familiar. While it might look like a standard-issue creepy scarecrow to some, those who have seen The Nightmare Before Christmas will instantly recognize this design choice as the same one that awaited visitors at the entrance to Halloween Town.

5 Finding Nemo

Released In 2003

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When his son is captured, a shy clownfish embarks on a journey to bring him home.

Director Andrew Stanton , Lee Unkrich Release Date May 30, 2003 Writers Andrew Stanton , Bob Peterson , David Reynolds Cast Albert Brooks , Ellen DeGeneres , Alexander Gould , Willem Dafoe , Brad Garrett , Allison Janney See at Disney+

Pixar and Disney animated projects are known for their Easter eggs. Both animation studios tend to only reference other projects from their same body of work. For example, Disney characters from other projects can be seen in the crowd at the underwater palace in the animated The Little Mermaid, and the Luxo ball appears in some form in every Pixar movie.

Related Where To Find The Luxo Ball Easter Egg In Every Pixar Movie

Pixar movies are full of fun Easter eggs, with some being harder to spot than others. Here’s where to find every Luxo ball easter egg in the films.

While Burton isn’t really connected to Pixar and Finding Nemo certainly isn’t a Tim Burton project, the Pixar release features a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo that’s hard to spot. While Nemo is brought to the top of the bubbling volcano to be initiated into the fish tank, Jack’s skull can be seen floating in one of the bubbles just by Gill’s head.

It’s very subtle, but there’s no denying that’s the face of the Pumpkin King himself.

While there’s no clear connection between Finding Nemo and Jack Skellington, The Nightmare Before Christmas director Henry Selick was developing the canceled The Graveyard Book for Pixar in 2012, so it’s likely that the studio had admired Selick’s work for a while.

4 The Princess And The Frog

Released In 2009

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Based on the classic fairytale, The Princess and the Frog follow Tiana, a hardworking New Orleans waitress in the 1920s who has big dreams of opening her own restaurant. When she becomes involved in a curse set upon a foreign prince by a witch doctor, however, Tiana must figure out a way to help the prince break the curse before time runs out. The film features the voices of Anika Noni Rose, Bruno Campos, Jim Cummings, Jennifer Cody, and John Goodman. 

Director John Musker Release Date December 10, 2009 Writers John Musker Cast Anika Noni Rose , John Musker , Keith David See at Disney+

Disney has a history of hiding Easter eggs in its films going back decades, but while it’s expected to see Mickey Mouse in the background or hidden Mickey shapes in different designs, it’s strange to see Jack make a shadowy appearance among Dr. Faclier’s Friends on the Other Side in the back of his Voodoo Emporium in The Princess and the Frog.

Jack Skellington’s silhouette can be seen among the various fiendish forms on the wall.

After the Shadowman consults with his creepy companions and summons a series of shadowy minions to help search for Prince Naveen, Jack Skellington’s silhouette can be seen among the various fiendish forms on the wall. He likely won’t appear in The Princess and the Frog remake though.

Of course, that’s not the only Disney Princess movie with a connection to Jack Skellington. In Jack’s own movie, there’s a villain connection to another Disney princess. Fans have speculated that one of the townspeople spotted during a meeting is actually the evil Queen from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

3 Alice In Wonderland

Released In 2010

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Alice in Wonderland is a 2010 fantasy adventure film directed by Tim Burton. It stars Mia Wasikowska as Alice, who returns to the magical world of Wonderland to confront the tyrannical Red Queen, played by Helena Bonham Carter. The film features Johnny Depp as the eccentric Mad Hatter and Anne Hathaway as the benevolent White Queen. This reimagining of Lewis Carroll’s classic tale combines live-action and CGI elements.

Director Tim Burton Release Date March 5, 2010 Writers Linda Woolverton Cast Johnny Depp , Anne Hathaway , Helena Bonham Carter , Crispin Glover , Matt Lucas , Mia Wasikowska , Alan Rickman , Stephen Fry , Michael Sheen , Timothy Spall See at Disney+

Johnny Depp is no stranger to Tim Burton movies. Sleepy Hollow, Edward Scissorhands, Sweeney Todd, just to name a few. He also played the iconic storybook character of the Mad Hatter in Burton’s take on a classic.

Jack is used as yet another costume detail for one of Tim Burton’s characters in 2010’s Alice in Wonderland. Johnny Depp’s interpretation of the Mad Hatter is definitely one of the most unique, but his creepy and colorful bowtie is noteworthy for its use of Jack Skellington. At first glance, it looks like the typical polka-dotted tie seen in other variations before.

However, many of his dots are actually tiny Jack heads grinning back at the viewers. Depp’s portrayal of the Mad Hatter might have gotten a polarizing reception, but the costume designs are undoubtedly creative, and as a result, the movie won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design.

2 Coraline

Released In 2009

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Based on Neil Gaiman’s novella, Coraline follows Coraline Jones, a lonely young girl who, after moving to a new house with her inattentive parents, discovers a portal to another, more sinister alternate reality behind one of the house’s many doors. Written and directed by Henry Selick, the film uses stop-motion animation and stars Dakota Fanning as Coraline. 

Director Henry Selick Release Date February 5, 2009 Writers Henry Selick , Neil Gaiman Cast Dakota Fanning , Teri Hatcher , Jennifer Saunders , Dawn French , Keith David , John Hodgman See at HBO Max

As one of the pioneers of the stop-motion movie genre, Henry Selick continued innovating long after The Nightmare Before Christmas, and it’s possible that both Jack and Coraline exist in the same universe. Not only do Coraline and The Nightmare Before Christmas share a similar design and a theme of other worlds, but Jack’s yellowed skull appears in an egg yolk that the Other Mother cracks over a frying pan while making “dinner-breakfast-food.”

Related Why Coraline Is Confused For A Tim Burton Movie (It’s Complicated)

Coraline was directed by Henry Selick, so why do people often mistake it for a Tim Burton movie? Here’s the confusion surrounding the film explained.

Selick clearly has just as much of an affinity for Jack Skellington as Tim Burton since the character has appeared in multiple projects of his, and this tease is one of the closest Jack has come to having his story expanded upon. Selick has actually confirmed (via GamesRadar) that he has included Jack Easter eggs in all of his movies – within legal reason, of course. He specifically mentioned the breakfast meal in Coraline, but he also told the publication:

“If you look very, very carefully, you might find that there’s some image of Jack in every other film I’ve made. But I can’t legally say that’s true, but it might be true.”

1 Wendell & Wild

Released In 2022

Wendell and Wild pg-13HorrorComedy

To summon themselves to the Land of the Living, Wendell and Wild seek out the help of Kat Elliot (Lyric Ross), but she has a request in return. Released in 2022, Wendell & Wild is a stop-motion animation movie from director Henry Selick. The movie is based on an unpublished book from Selick and Clay McLeod Chapman and stars Jordan Peele and Michael Key as the main characters.

Director Henry Selick Release Date October 21, 2022 Writers Jordan Peele Cast Jordan Peele , Lyric Ross , Keegan-Michael Key

Though it had been well over a decade since the last Jack Skellington cameo, as not even Burton had used the character since 2010, Selick briefly brought the character back after the director had something of a hiatus of his own. Wendell & Wild was Selick’s first film in 13 years, and just as audiences thought the whole film flew by without a cameo from The Nightmare Before Christmas character, Jack appeared in the movie’s credits. However, the Easter egg indicates the worst.

At the 1:39:24 mark, Jack Skellington’s remains can be found in the background half-buried. This particular Easter egg could indicate that Selick is done using The Nightmare Before Christmas character as an Easter egg with his bones seemingly done, but it could also just be because there are other skeletons in the design.

The Nightmare Before Christmas PGAnimationFantasyHoliday

Henry Selick directs The Nightmare Before Christmas, a stop-motion fairytale from the mind of Tim Burton. Jack Skellington is the king of Halloween and one of Halloweentown’s most beloved citizens, but he longs for something more. When he stumbles across a magical door that leads him to discover Christmas, he makes it his mission to replace Santa Claus and bring festive cheer to his perpetually spooky hamlet.

Director Henry Selick Release Date October 29, 1993 Writers Caroline Thompson Cast Catherine O’Hara , Glenn Shadix , Ken Page , William Hickey , Chris Sarandon , Paul Reubens , Danny Elfman Runtime 76 minutes See at Netflix

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