Danny Elfman is "still flabbergasted" at the success of 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'.
The 71-year-old composer wrote the score for and sang the role of Jack Skellington in Tim Burton's cult classic but admitted that he "never could have imagined" the film would still have such a fanbase today, especially because it was "misunderstood" when it was released more than 30 years ago.
He exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "It's funny, even after these years that I've been doing this show, I'm still flabbergasted every time that I'm actually doing this because, I mean, it's something I never could have imagined in my wildest dreams that this weird, little cult film that I'd be doing them on these big stages live. I mean, it's just crazy.
"The movie was so misunderstood when it came out, and it didn't do very well, and it was really one of the big disappointments in my career that, this piece that I put so much into, but, that's what movies are all about. And yet it just people didn't understand what it was, and Disney didn't understand what it was. And so the fact that it got a second life is so amazing to me and so extraordinarily rare that, 10, 15, years later, it would seem to be more popular than when it came out. It's just kind of extraordinary, but in the best possible way."
Danny has reprised his role as Jack for numerous concert versions of the film, and will be performing the part once again on December 12 at Wembley Arena in London.
Numerous celebrities have joined him to play the role of Sally over the years and this time Spice Girls star Emma Bunton will take to the stage to perform 'Sally's Song'.
He said: "That's one of the most fun things about doing this show in other places, is kind of getting to link up with fun, new, interesting guest artists. And I'm very excited about and happy about that. Billie Eilish did it once. Phoebe Bridgers did it and, it's been like an interesting kind of collection of artists coming, coming up and joining in with that, and so I'm very much looking forward to next week."
But when Danny was first approached to recreate the role of Jack on stage several years ago, he suffered from anxiety about the whole thing until 'Harry Potter' actress Helena Bonham Carter gave him some frank words of advice.
He said: "I was like, ‘S***, what did I say?’ And I didn't even remember that I had agreed to go out there and do some songs live, and that opening night I had Albert Hall. , this whole show had never been performed before. We had no idea what was going to happen with it.
"And I'd never performed in England. I had such fear and dread that I was paralysed. I literally couldn't walk out there.
"Helena Bonham Carter, who was sitting on the floor getting into character because she was going to do Sally for the first show ever, she practically had to shove me through the door. And she says, ‘Danny, what's the matter?’ I go, ‘I don't know if I could do this.’ And she said the most magical words ever to me.
"She said ‘Danny, what the f***? Come on!’ And I was like, ‘Yes, of course, thank you’. That's exactly what I needed to hear, because that's like the whole story of my life is that and I went out there, and it was such a magical moment."
'The Nightmare Before Christmas in Concert' is on at OVO Arena Wembley on Thursday 12 December.
Tickets for the immersive concert are on sale now via www.gigsandtours.com, www.axs.com and www.ticketmaster.co.uk.
