ParaNorman

Play trailer

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.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

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

Read Critics Reviews

Edward Porter

The Times (UK)

The movie has life in its veins and a good heart: the story becomes a delicate fairytale.

Oct 31, 2022

Full Review

Tara Brady

Irish Times

Anyone who's robust enough to enjoy Roald Dahl will surely appreciate ParaNorman's playfully PG undead action.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 14, 2012

Full Review

Chris Blohm

Little White Lies

There's no meat on the bone of this skeleton. Witty and fast-paced, sure, but the film lacks substance.

Rated: 3/5

Sep 13, 2012

Full Review

Ross Anthony

Hollywood Report Card

(Review is for 2025 remastered release in 3D via Fathom.) ParaNorman is exactly the Halloween film I wanted to see!

Rated: 3/4

Nov 4, 2025

Full Review

Jason Best

Movie Talk

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.

Aug 9, 2024

Full Review

Patrick Cavanaugh

The Wolfman Cometh

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.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 22, 2023

Full Review

Read all reviews

margarito a

A funny and charming film.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/06/25

Full Review

Madison

It is one of my absolute favorite clay animation movies! And it was even better in 3-D, definitely a must see.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/01/25

Full Review

Samuel

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.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/01/25

Full Review

𝗕𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗬

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!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/30/25

Full Review

Marisol

Love this movie, even after years. Its funny, witty and overall great!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/29/25

Full Review

Mirna S

It was beautifully remastered. We had so much fun rewatching it!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/29/25

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Chris Butler

Director

Sam Fell

Director

Kodi Smit-McPhee

Norman

Tucker Albrizzi

Neil

Anna Kendrick

Courtney

Casey Affleck

Mitch

How to Train Your Dragon 2

92%

90%

How to Train Your Dragon 2

Watchlist

TRAILER

for How to Train Your Dragon 2

The Boxtrolls

78%

63%

The Boxtrolls

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Boxtrolls

Shrek Forever After

58%

54%

Shrek Forever After

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Shrek Forever After

The Book of Life

82%

77%

The Book of Life

Watchlist

A Town Called Panic

81%

86%

A Town Called Panic

Watchlist

TRAILER

for A Town Called Panic

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

3 Movies like Coco That Deal with Death and Loss from a Kid’s Perspective

Digital Multiplex: Silver Linings Playbook and ParaNorman

Parental Guidance: Men in Black III, ParaNorman, and Step Up Revolution

View more photos

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)

Most Popular at Home Now