I had a dream the morning of the day this post is going out. I was watching a movie about Coraline in a Christmas setting. I don't really remember the details, but my family and I had emotional responses to whatever was happening.
When I woke up, I loved the idea of Coraline in a more christmasy setting. But a Coraline sequel can't not have a sense of danger.
So I wondered how one would go about a crossover with The Nightmare Before Christmas? I thought it would be interesting if the way she meets the cast of Nightmare---Jack, Sally, Zero---if she stumbled into one of Jack and Sally's children.
Before anything else, I looked up to see if anyone had drawn fanart of Jack and Sally's children. For some reason, people question how they would have kids??? Umm, suspension of disbelief? Ever heard of it? Anyway, I made a Pinterest board of some of the stuff I found. Some are cursed, some are very good, but it's all in good fun. https://pin.it/5cRH2dfUr
After browsing around Pinterest and seeing AI art 🤮 I randomly thought of watching both films simultaneously. I was trying to link the two worlds and characters in my head, and I was hoping for some kind of eureka! moment where I'd find the catalyst for writing a crossover.
To be honest, I didn't really get anything out of it. Both movies just sorta do their own thing, there weren't any scenes that lined up in a way that created crazy parallels. It doesn't help that Coraline is like 20 minutes longer.
My biggest takeaway was that I remembered in the world of Nightmare, the human world's adults and society are fully aware of the magical creatures from the holiday lands. I realized that that doesn't really mesh well with the somewhat average world of Coraline, which to be fair we don't see as much of, but compared to the other movie it doesn't seem like the sort of world that is aware of magical worlds and creatures on a societal level.
If that were the case, Coraline's parents probably would've believed her stories about the other world.
So in conclusion, no. I don't think a Coraline x The Nightmare Before Christmas crossover would work. Not without altering the rules of their respective worlds. Still, it's been a fun thought experiment, and not gonna lie, even after I came to this conclusion I've been entertaining the idea of these characters crossing over. So I might end up writing a story about this, despite the glaring issues with it.
Before I go, here's the notes I've written down so far:
Premise:
Coraline crosses over with the Nightmare Before Christmas characters at christmas time.
Now that she appreciates her family and real world for what they are, she must come to terms with growing up and deciding whether she should embrace her childhood or act like an adult.
Maybe it could be told from the POV of Coraline and one of Jack and Sally’s children, Jolly, and they eventually meet.
Jolly has some reason to go to the human world, they get spotted by Coraline and then accidentally takes her back to Halloween Land. (or whatever it's called)
Storybeats:
Establish Coraline’s struggles with growing up.
Maybe through her hanging out with her friends who are doing grown up things.
Establish Jolly’s desire to see the human world.
They meet in an alley and Jolly escapes into a storm drain, where Coraline follows.
None of what you're about to read here makes any sense, but this is some of what I dreamed up in a nap earlier:
“‘I wonder what’s for dinner’? Where are you?” the woman asked.
“Uh, here.” Coraline said.
“Oh. You’re that girl who doesn’t have any money! We only allow people who have money! Lots of money!” the woman said, and her eyes glowed purple and her voice grew unnervingly deep.
“Wait! I need to go to college! I really need to go to college!” Coraline said.
Coraline was squirming at her desk, and her parents tried to hold her still.
“Huh? Mom? Dad?”
“It’s okay Coraline,” mom said.
“You’re safe at home, kiddo," dad said.
“Oh, I was having this terrible dream. There were things with wings, and people with glowing eyes.”
“No wings here, just dad’s creaky old joints.” He made a demonstration by lifting his leg and bending his knees. (hey, I don't make this shit up on purpose, dreams do what they do)
“Why don’t you head to bed, Coraline?” Mom asked.
Ideas:
Santa must be in it.
Show other holiday lands.
Jolly has a hard time accepting their family, Coraline teaches them to.
Coraline struggles with embracing her childhood or being and adult, Jolly helps her with that.
OH! I found this too. Turns out there's an official source of Jack and Sally having kids.
Can a Coraline x Nightmare Before Christmas Crossover Work?