The Simpsons are singing their way into Halloween Town with their own inspired take on “This is Halloween“, which sees Flanders exploding into a shower of slimy green worms at the end. And I’m so here for it.
Today, thanks to Entertainment Weekly, we have our first sneak peak at the stop-motion opening for this year’s Treehouse of Horror XXXVII. The sequence turns Springfield’s yellow-hued residents into characters from The Nightmare Before Christmas, complete with a musical parody of “This Is Halloween” that more perfectly fits the residents of Springfield, Oregon (come at me).
The opening was created by Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, the guys behind Robot Chicken. Rather than simply drawing the characters in the style of Tim Burton’s 1993 holiday classic, the team brought them to life with handmade puppets and stop-motion animation. This is not AI. And I love it for that. Give me actual thumb prints on my art every time.
In this all-timer couch gag, Bart takes on the role of Jack Skellington, while Marge becomes Sally. Homer is the two-faced Mayor of Halloween Town, and Ned Flanders gets a particularly fitting makeover as the bug-filled Oogie Boogie. The sequence also features a new song from Bleeding Fingers, The Simpsons’ musical team, riffing on Danny Elfman’s iconic soundtrack theme song “This Is Halloween” from The Nightmare Before Christmas.
There’s a personal connection behind the crossover for sculptor Jim McKenzie, who worked on the project. In a promotional video, McKenzie recalled growing up with paintings of both Jack Skellington and Homer Simpson hanging in his bedroom.
“I think in a time of AI, to be involved with something that’s truly handmade, it’s very special these days,” McKenzie said.
The timing feels right for a tribute to The Nightmare Before Christmas, whose stop-motion characters have become a Halloween staple since the film’s 1993 release. The new opening gives The Simpsons a chance to play in that handmade world while putting its own spin on one of the movie’s best-known songs.
This is the latest look at the crossover ahead of the special’s premiere. We previously covered the first images from Treehouse of Horror XXXVII and the behind-the-scenes video showing how Stoopid Buddy Stoodios built the couch gag. The new footage puts the finished musical sequence front and center.
“Treehouse of Horror XXXVII” premieres Sunday, October 25, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Fox. The episode includes three Halloween stories, including a segment inspired by Holly Gramazio’s novel The Husbands and another that combines Freaky Friday with Pet Sematary. The special will be available to stream on Hulu the following day. And don’t forget to grab big back full of The Simpsons-inspired midnight munchies at Jack-in-the-Box. Those plastic cups are literally to die for.
