Santa Claus in film Another recent devious mall Santa was played by Billy Bob Thornton in "Bad Santa" (2003), a film which gained normally family-friendly Disney "bad press". Tim Burton's stop-action animated musical film, "The Nightmare Before Christmas" (1993), depicts Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, wanting to become Santa Claus after an accidental visit to Christmas Town. After the mostly well-meaning but clueless Halloween citizens capture Santa, they try to take over Christmas with disastrous results; the real Santa is almost killed by the Oogie Boogie Man. Santa is voiced here by Ed Ivory, and in the video game spin-offs, Corey
Tim Burton of Hearts. Tim Burton appeared at the 2009 Comic-Con in San Diego, California, to promote both "9" and "Alice in Wonderland". When asked about the filmmaking process by an attendee, he mentioned his "imaginary friend" who helps him out, prompting Johnny Depp to walk on stage to the applause of the audience. The film won two Academy Awards, for Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design. Burton's film "Dark Shadows" once again starred Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter in leading roles. The film was based on the original "Dark Shadows" gothic soap opera, which aired on ABC from 1966