Disney didn't want to call The Nightmare Before Christmas a Disney movie before it got really popular

“There was very little merchandising at first, but then Disney realized the film’s growing in popularity and they capitalized on that,” director Henry Selick recently told People. “Finally, Disney called it a Disney film because originally, they were afraid it was too strange, [and] it would damage their brand.” The film was originally released under former label Touchstone to add further separation, he added.

Now, Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland transform into Halloween Town every year around this time for their annual Halloween party, Oogie Boogie Bash (no real bugs, thank goodness), complete with a festive Haunted Mansion re-theme and meet-and-greet with the Boogie Man himself. “It didn’t seem to happen suddenly. It was just this steady growth, and then it ramped way up,” Selick added.

Chris Sarandon, who voices Jack, also chimed in about why the film resonated with so many people over the years. “A lot of young people come up to me and say, ‘This was a movie that made me feel like I belonged,’ because it was so strange and at the same time so beautiful, and its message was so positive,” he said. “And as it turns out, they, in turn, now are watching it with their children.” If only Disney would take a break from their endless churn of remakes and ride movies, they might have a generational hit like this on their hands once again.