Here's Tim Burton's Dark Christmas trilogy of movies ranked from worst to best. Though the director is mainly known for his unique gothic style, there is a Tim Burton Christmas movie or two under the creator's belt. While Burton's work can be divisive among moviegoers, there's no denying he has a very distinctive style — one that can lend itself surprisingly well to Christmas movies. Burton's breakout moment came with his second feature, Beetlejuice, He then helmed the groundbreaking 1989 blockbuster Batman. This not only changed the image of the Caped Crusader from the tongue-in-cheek antics of the classic '60s TV series, but it led to the modern-day dominance of the comic book movie genre.
"Tim Burton Christmas movie" might seem like an oxymoron to some, but thematically it's easy to see why his films fit the season. Burton's work is idiosyncratic and whimsical, and he commonly explores outsiders or outcasts. Burton is known for frequently collaborating with Johnny Depp and composer Danny Elfman, and his more recent works have tended to be high-profile remakes or adaptations like 2019's Dumbo or the upcoming TV series Wednesday, based on The Addams Family. However, way back in the early '90s, Burton produced a trilogy of films that prominently feature Christmas. Of course, his take on the holiday was a great deal more melancholy and darker than the likes of Home Alone, but that doesn't make it any less memorable. Here's the Tim Burton Christmas movie trilogy, ranked worst to best.
3. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
It's a misnomer to label Edward Scissorhands the "worst," since it's still an excellent fantasy movie. The movie cast Johnny Depp — in the first of MANY Burton collaborations — as the titular character, an unfinished creation of a deceased inventor who has scissors for hands. In the Tim Burton Christmas movie, he's later adopted by a suburban family and falls in love with Winona Ryder's character, though he comes to be seen as a Frankenstein's Monster by the townsfolk.
Edward Scissorhands is a deeply personal tale for Burton, who conceived of the idea when he was an isolated teenager who had trouble communicating. This Tim Burton Christmas movie is framed as a fairytale and while it can be very funny in parts, there's a real sense of tragedy to it also. It's the least Christmas-focused of Burton's trilogy, though the touching ending explains why it snows in the town yearly during the holidays.
2. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas is likely the most well-known of Tim Burton's Dark Christmas trilogy — and it also has the most obvious holiday connections. Burton produced and conceived the idea, and his creative fingerprints can be seen all over it. The story follows Halloween's patron saint Jack Skellington as he tries to throw Christmas in Halloween Town, with predictably messy results.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (which took years to make) is an endlessly inventive animated adventure, from its concept to its array of great musical numbers. The movie can be creepy and gross in parts, but there's an underlying sweetness to it, especially the love story between Jack and Catherine O'Hara's living rag doll Sally. There's continued debate over whether the film is a Christmas or Halloween adventure, though it's suitable to watch for either holiday.
1. Batman Returns (1992)
The best Tim Burton Christmas movie goes to Batman Returns, which has aged superbly. The sequel was controversial upon release for being aimed at younger viewers despite being very dark in places, but it remains one of the most unique blockbusters ever produced. Set in the holidays, Burton makes great use of the snowy Gotham and the melancholia the season produces in its trio of main characters — Batman, Catwoman, and The Penguin.
As a vehicle to deliver action sequences, Batman Returns — which hints at Penguin's plan in the opening — doesn't really deliver. As a bizarre character study on a large scale, however, it truly does. The performances are terrific, as is the score and production design. Batman Returns highlights the key themes of Tim Burton's Dark Christmas trilogy too, and for some, is essential viewing over the holiday period.
Burton Didn't Direct His Entire Dark Christmas Trilogy
While every entry in the Dark Christmas trilogy can certainly be credited to Tim Burton, he technically didn't direct all of them — specifically, he didn't direct the one movie on the list with both his name and the word "Christmas" in the title. People often confuse the work of Tim Burton and director Henry Selick. In fact, Burton tends to get credit for a lot of Selick's work, such as James and the Giant Peach and Coraline. What many fans find most surprising, however, is that Henry Selick actually directed The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Part of the reason that the two are often confused is their similar gothic style. Selick's bread and butter is stop-motion animation, as he was classically trained as an animator before moving into directing. There's a common misconception that Tim Burton has a lot of stop-motion animated films to his name, but he technically only directed one (Corpse Bride). Rather, most of those credits belong to Henry Selick. Therefore, any fans of The Nightmare Before Christmas could also direct their attention to Selick's latest film, Wendell & Wild, or his previous works like Coraline, Little Nightmares, or James and the Giant Peach. Regardless of Selick being the one to direct The Nightmare Before Christmas, it's still technically a Tim Burton Christmas movie, and more than deserves the number 2 spot on this list — the iconic adventures of Jack Skellington are still based on a book he wrote, after all.