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ParaNorman

Play trailer Poster for ParaNorman PG 2012 1h 36m Kids & Family Comedy Fantasy Adventure Animation Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
89% Tomatometer 190 Reviews 73% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
Young Norman Babcock (Kodi Smit-McPhee) has the ability to speak with the dead -- and he often prefers their company to that of the living. Norman receives word from his strange Uncle Prenderghast (John Goodman) that a centuries-old witch's curse on their town is real and about to come true -- and that only Norman can stop it. When zombies rise from their graves, Norman must summon all his courage and compassion and push his paranormal abilities to the limit to save his fellow townspeople.
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ParaNorman

ParaNorman

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Critics Consensus

Beautifully animated and solidly scripted, ParaNorman will entertain (and frighten) older children while providing surprisingly thoughtful fare for their parents.

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Critics Reviews

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Edward Porter The Times (UK) Oct 31, 2022
The movie has life in its veins and a good heart: the story becomes a delicate fairytale. Go to Full Review Tara Brady Irish Times Sep 14, 2012
4/5
Anyone who's robust enough to enjoy Roald Dahl will surely appreciate ParaNorman's playfully PG undead action. Go to Full Review Chris Blohm Little White Lies Sep 13, 2012
3/5
There's no meat on the bone of this skeleton. Witty and fast-paced, sure, but the film lacks substance. Go to Full Review Ross Anthony Hollywood Report Card Nov 4, 2025
3/4
(Review is for 2025 remastered release in 3D via Fathom.) ParaNorman is exactly the Halloween film I wanted to see! Go to Full Review Jason Best Movie Talk Aug 9, 2024
Successfully balancing knockabout comedy and spooky chills, this stop-motion-animation fantasy... is a treat for kids and horror buffs alike and contains a heartening message: don’t mistreat misfits. Go to Full Review Patrick Cavanaugh The Wolfman Cometh Sep 22, 2023
4/5
Not only an effective gateway-horror for kids, it has genuine laughs and genuine frights, making for a spooky enough adventure for audiences of all ages. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Aimee Mar 31, 2026 It’s my all time favorite! I love how they included deleted scenes See more margarito a Nov 6, 2025 A funny and charming film. See more Madison Nov 1, 2025 It is one of my absolute favorite clay animation movies! And it was even better in 3-D, definitely a must see. See more Samuel Nov 1, 2025 ParaNorman is a hilarious and wonderfully animated stop-motion film that lampoons many horror tropes, while still telling an endearing tale about overcoming adversity and rising to the occasion in the face of overwhelming odds. Norman can see spirits, which causes him a lot of personal grief, and soon lands him with the task of pacifying the spirit of a witch out for revenge. The animation is incredible, the soundtrack is memorable, and the characters are very entertaining. See more 𝗕𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗬 Oct 30, 2025 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗼 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝟯𝗗 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝗳𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻! See more Marisol Oct 29, 2025 Love this movie, even after years. Its funny, witty and overall great! See more Read all reviews
ParaNorman

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Chris Butler

Director

Sam Fell

Director

Kodi Smit-McPhee

Norman

Tucker Albrizzi

Neil

Anna Kendrick

Courtney

Casey Affleck

Mitch

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ParaNorman

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Movie Info

Synopsis Young Norman Babcock (Kodi Smit-McPhee) has the ability to speak with the dead -- and he often prefers their company to that of the living. Norman receives word from his strange Uncle Prenderghast (John Goodman) that a centuries-old witch's curse on their town is real and about to come true -- and that only Norman can stop it. When zombies rise from their graves, Norman must summon all his courage and compassion and push his paranormal abilities to the limit to save his fellow townspeople.
Director
Chris Butler, Sam Fell
Producer
Arianne Sutner, Travis Knight
Screenwriter
Chris Butler
Distributor
Focus Features
Production Co
Laika
Rating
PG (Scary Action|Language|Scary Images|Some Rude Humor|Thematic Elements)
Genre
Kids & Family, Comedy, Fantasy, Adventure, Animation
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 17, 2012, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Oct 25, 2025
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 19, 2015
Runtime
1h 36m
Sound Mix
DTS, Dolby Atmos, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Dolby SRD, SDDS
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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