Henry Selick, director of 1993 cult classic The Nightmare Before Christmas, has revealed he’s hidden a Jack Skellington in every one of his films.
“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,” Selick said in an interview with GamesRadar+.
The Nightmare Before Christmas was Selick’s directorial debut. He went on to make James and the Giant Peach (1996), Monkeybone (2001), Coraline (2009), and Wendell & Wild (2022). Many of his films share similar stories of alternate worlds and realities. It makes sense that there would be some cross-references or Easter eggs in them.
He hinted that Coraline fans who carefully watch the breakfast scene might see the eggs that the Other Mother cracks resemble the famous King of Halloween. In James and the Giant Peach, the captain of Skeleton Pirates looks like Jack—and is even referred to as “a Skellington.” In Wendell & Wild, he pops up in the end credits.
Jack Skellington has made supposed cameos in other films, including 2010’s Alice in Wonderland—directed by Nightmare Before Christmas producer Tim Burton—in the Mad Hatter’s tie, and 2003’s Finding Nemo, hidden in the bubbles in Gil’s fish tank. Sally and Jack appear in Disney Pixar’s Ralph Breaks the Internet. Selick has also put other Easter eggs into his movies, including the Other Father wearing “Monkeybone” slippers in Coraline. The director himself appears in a cameo on the dollar bill in Coraline.
Coraline marks its 15th anniversary is this year, and is currently enjoying a limited re-release (Coraline also scored great success with a re-release last summer). As for any chance of sequels for his memorable films, which Disney is known for doing, Selick told GamesRadar+ it’s been discussed, but he isn’t interested.
“It’s been discussed forever at various times in the past. I was told ‘Oh, we want to do a sequel, but it has to be CGI’ and I said ‘No, absolutely not,’” Selick explained. “But you don’t want to ruin something by killing the golden goose. Doing a sequel or a prequel can destroy that. I mean, by the time of Jaws six, the shark movies, they’d really beat that shark to death.”
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.