A reduce epilogue from The Nightmare Earlier than Christmas soundtrack reveals what occurs to Jack and Sally after the traditional 1993 film involves an finish. Whereas The Nightmare Earlier than Christmas is commonly attributed to Tim Burton (who wrote the poem on which the movie was primarily based), it was really directed by Coraline‘s Henry Selick and is fondly remembered for its gothic model and composer Danny Elfman’s award-winning soundtrack. The success of the movie over the 30 years since its premiere has launched loads of want for The Nightmare Earlier than Christmas 2, with Sally and Jack’s fates after the closing credit being frequent sources of hypothesis.
The Nightmare Earlier than Christmas ends with The Pumpkin King, Jack Skellington, letting go of his Christmas goals as he embarks on new adventures in Halloween City. With Sally’s assist and steerage, Jack defeats the villainous Oogie Boogie, apologizes to Santa Claus (who nonetheless manages to avoid wasting Christmas), and sees snowfall for the primary time in Halloween City. Within the movie’s ultimate moments, Jack and Sally declare their love for each other via track, marking the start of their future collectively. Even if a sequel has but to be produced, what occurs to Jack and Sally after the film has really been revealed by a further track on The Nightmare Earlier than Christmas‘ soundtrack album.
Whereas reduce from the film itself, “Closing,” the penultimate monitor on The Nightmare Earlier than Christmas‘ album, is narrated by Patrick Stewart and particulars how his unseen character re-visits Jack and Sally a few years later. The track reveals that after the film ends, Sally and Jack have “4 or 5” skeleton youngsters who play in a xylophone band. The Narrator asks Jack whether or not he remembers the night time when he virtually destroyed Christmas and if he would relive these occasions given what he is aware of now. Jack replies coyly, “Wouldn’t you?” Relaxation assured, Jack and Sally stay collectively and start a household after that fateful Christmas night time.
Other than the plain query (how a Frankenstein’s monster-type creature and a literal skeleton reproduce), it nonetheless stays curious as to why Selick and his crew didn’t use Stewart’s epilogue narration within the ultimate movie. Because it stands, The Nightmare Earlier than Christmas‘ ending could be very hopeful and forward-looking, with Jack and Sally lastly getting collectively, whereas the reduce epilogue is extra reflective and bittersweet. This probably performed into their artistic choice to chop the closing narration, although – in gaining a extra forward-facing ending – The Nightmare Earlier than Christmas in the end loses the cyclical construction utilized in lots of nice vacation tales.
The epilogue references the start of the story, bringing The Nightmare Earlier than Christmas full circle as Jack warmly displays on the movie’s occasions in hindsight. Finally, the ambiguous ending nonetheless provides to the movie’s recognition and want for extra chapters in Jack and Sally’s story 30 years later. That mentioned, the film is hardly underrated – a very good factor, given how a lot effort and time went into making The Nightmare Earlier than Christmas – so the romantic ending actually paid off for audiences. Even with out the information of what occurs to Jack and Sally after the closing scene, The Nightmare Earlier than Christmas‘ conclusion invitations viewers to look to the long run forward with a hopeful eye.
Extra particulars about what occurred to Sally and Jack after The Nightmare Earlier than Christmas have been revealed within the 2022 Disney novel Lengthy Dwell the Pumpkin Queen. The e-book confirms that Sally and Jack have been married after the occasions of the film, although Sally nonetheless started to really feel considerably trapped in her position because the Queen of Halloween City. Occurring just one yr after the film’s occasions and a few years earlier than the movie soundtrack’s epilogue track, Catherine O’Hara’s The Nightmare Earlier than Christmas character occurs upon a hidden vacation doorway with Zero to Dream City.
Sally leads to a battle with the realm’s Sandman, which ends up in her discovering her actual ragdoll dad and mom, Greta and Albert, who reveal that the villainous Dr. Finkelstein stole her from them when she was 12 years previous. On the finish of the e-book, Sally reunites with Jack and returns to Halloween City, at which era Jack punishes Dr. Finkelstein for his actions. Sally and Jack conclude the novel nonetheless fortunately married and persevering with to settle into their roles in Halloween City, which The Nightmare Earlier than Christmas epilogue track reveals will result in a household of skeleton youngsters.