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ParaNorman

Play trailer Poster for ParaNorman PG 2012 1h 36m Kids & Family Comedy Fantasy Adventure Animation Play Trailer Watchlist
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89% Tomatometer 189 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) 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 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 Rendy Jones them. It has deservedly become a go-to movie for horror fans of all ages to watch together during spooky season. Oct 27, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Ale One of my favorite movies! Loved seeing it in 3D and on the big screen (so many details I hadn’t noticed before). Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/29/25 Full Review dani I love this movie so seeing it in theaters remastered in 3D was even better! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/29/25 Full Review Jonathan Loved the updated version! And the new short was HILARIOUS! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/29/25 Full Review KJ Such A Great Jumpy Movie :) I Recommend Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/28/25 Full Review Marsha I love 3D versions of movies and so the Paranorman the effects were so good and fit so well with the theme and style of the movie! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/28/25 Full Review Adrian Courtney Babcock so Pretty 😍 She Need a Spin-off Film or Spin-off with 2D Animated Series. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/28/25 Full Review Read all reviews
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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