Disney movies sometimes contain references to one another, and Tim Burton connects 1993’s The Nightmare Before Christmas to an 86-year-old animated classic with one hidden cameo. The Nightmare Before Christmas has become a classic in its own right, and Jack Skellington’s story is a staple of the Halloween and Christmas seasons. Burton’s animated hit takes on a darker tone than most Disney films, but that just makes it more compelling. It’s one of Burton’s best movies (though it’s directed by Henry Selick), but it’s also a unique addition to Disney’s animated lineup.
Despite standing out from other classic Disney movies, The Nightmare Before Christmas holds a subtle connection to one — though it’s easy to miss. Eagle-eyed viewers can catch what looks like a classic Disney villain in the background of a Halloweentown scene. The cameo isn’t confirmed, but it would make sense given Disney’s tendency to sneak its characters into seemingly unrelated films.
20 Best Nightmare Before Christmas Quotes
The script and lyrics of The Nightmare Before Christmas are rife with memorable quotes that capture both the Halloween and Christmas spirit.
Snow White’s Evil Queen Appears To Be Hidden At The Nightmare Before Christmas’ Town Meeting
The Nightmare Before Christmas primarily follows the adventures of Jack Skellington, but the movie takes place in Halloweentown. When Jack decides to bring Christmas to his home, he holds a town meeting — and one of the characters present at the gathering appears to be from 1937’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Those who look closely at the townspeople in attendance will spot someone who looks an awful lot like Snow White‘s Evil Queen in the background of this Nightmare Before Christmas scene. She sits in the back right corner, and she’s even holding her signature apple.
Although neither Burton nor Selick has confirmed that this is, in fact, the Evil Queen, it’s not totally surprising that she’d appear in The Nightmare Before Christmas. Disney’s characters have a habit of cropping up in the studio’s other, unrelated films, as Wish‘s recent Peter Pan Easter egg proves. And given Jack’s tendency to bring the spirit of The Nightmare Before Christmas into other Disney movies, it makes sense that another character might appear in his own story.
Disney’s Other Jack Skellington Easter Eggs Make The Nightmare Before Christmas’ Snow White Connection More Likely
Jack Skellington makes cameos in a number of movies, both from Burton’s catalog and Disney. Two notable appearances include Finding Nemo and The Princess and the Frog, both of which contain blink-and-miss-it nods to Jack’s character. Such background appearances make the case for Disney’s connected universe theory, which posits that all of Disney’s animated films take place in the same cinematic universe. Looking at other instances of Disney movies overlapping, the Evil Queen appearing in The Nightmare Before Christmas doesn’t seem that far-fetched. Perhaps the Evil Queen perished and found herself in Halloweentown during the afterlife — or maybe she was simply passing through for more dubious reasons.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
- Release Date:
- 1993-10-29
- Director:
- Array
- Cast:
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- Rating:
- PG
- Runtime:
- 76 minutes
- Genres:
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- Writers:
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- Creator :
- Michael McDowell, Tim Burton
- Budget:
- $24 Million
- Studio(s):
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- Distributor(s):
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- Franchise(s):
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