ParaNorman (2012)

UNKNOWN

Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu, YouTube, Microsoft Store, HBO Max

83%

2012, Comedy/Fantasy, 1h 36m

RT Critics’ Score: 89% (UNBIASED)
RT Audience Score: 72%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
19 wins & 46 nominations total

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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

Audience Consensus

ParaNorman is the perfect movie for anyone who loves a good undead adventure. It’s got all the spooky fun of a classic horror flick, but with a playful twist that will keep you laughing from start to finish. The animation is absolutely gorgeous, and the story is surprisingly touching, exploring themes of death and acceptance in a way that’s both profound and accessible to kids. And let’s not forget about the score – Jon Brion’s music is the perfect accompaniment to this wild ride. So if you’re looking for a movie that’s equal parts scary and silly, ParaNorman is the one for you!

Storyline

In the town of Blithe Hollow, Norman Babcock is a boy who can speak to the dead, but no one besides his eccentric new friend, Neil, believes his ability is real. One day, Norman’s estranged eccentric uncle tells him of an important annual ritual he must take up to protect the town from a curse cast by a witch it condemned centuries ago. Eventually, Norman decides to cooperate, but things don’t go according to plan. Now, a magic storm of the witch threatens Blithe Hollow as the accursed dead rise. Together with unexpected new companions, Norman struggles to save his town, only to discover the horrific truth of the curse. With that insight, Norman must resolve the crisis for good as only he can.

Production Company(ies)
RKO Radio Pictures, Mercury Productions,

Distributor
Focus Features

Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical

Filming Location(s)

MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for scary action and images, thematic elements, some rude humor and language

Year of Release
2012

Technical Specs

Color:

Color
Sound mix:

Dolby Digital Datasat SDDS Dolby Surround 7.1 Auro 11.1 Dolby Atmos
Aspect ratio:

2.35 : 1
Runtime:

1h 36m
Language(s):

English
Country of origin:

United States
Release date:

Release Date (Theaters): Aug 17, 2012 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 27, 2012

Genre(s)
Comedy/Fantasy

Keyword(s)
starring Kodi Smit-McPhee, Tucker Albrizzi, Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Leslie Mann, directed by Chris Butler, Sam Fell, written by Chris Butler, Comedy, Fantasy, Adventure, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Tara Brady, Chris Blohm, Nigel Andrews, Peter Bradshaw, Robbie Collin, Cath Clarke, Matt Brunson, Douglas Davidson, Matthew Rozsa, Trace Thurman, Richard Propes, PG, Focus Features, produced by Arianne Sutner, Travis Knight, ParaNorman, Young Norman Babcock, Uncle Prenderghast, witch’s curse, zombies, paranormal abilities, death, ghosts, horror, stop motion animation, Salem Witch trials, historical accuracy, inspiring resolution, Halloween, Tim Burton, Monster House, Corpse Bride, Roald Dahl, intelligent, thoughtful, twists and turns, Shakespeare joke, gross out humor, kid-friendly, message, weird, horror films

Box Office Details

Worldwide gross: $107,139,399
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $138,126,730
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 875
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 15,062,893

US/Canada gross: $56,003,051
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $72,200,501
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 905
US/Canada opening weekend: $14,087,050
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $18,161,369
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 702

Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $60,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $77,353,466
Production budget ranking: 540
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $41,654,841
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $19,118,423
ROI to date (est.): 16%
ROI ranking: 1,316

Cast & Crew

Kodi Smit-McPhee

Tucker Albrizzi

Anna Kendrick

Casey Affleck

Christopher Mintz-Plasse

Norman

Neil

Courtney

Mitch

Alvin

Kodi Smit-McPhee – Norman (Voice)
Tucker Albrizzi – Neil (Voice)
Anna Kendrick – Courtney (Voice)
Casey Affleck – Mitch (Voice)
Christopher Mintz-Plasse – Alvin (Voice)
Leslie Mann – Sandra Babcock (Voice)

Chris Butler

Arianne Sutner

Travis Knight

Director

Writer

Producer

Director(s)
Chris Butler, Sam Fell

Writer(s)
Chris Butler

Producer(s)
Arianne Sutner, Travis Knight

Film Festivals

Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
19 wins & 46 nominations total

Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees

Top Reviews

Tara Brady

Chris Blohm

Nigel Andrews

Peter Bradshaw

Robbie Collin

Irish Times

Little White Lies

Financial Times

Guardian

Daily Telegraph (UK)

PARANORMAN
All Critics (186) | Top Critics (51) | Fresh (165) | Rotten (21)
Anyone who’s robust enough to enjoy Roald Dahl will surely appreciate ParaNorman’s playfully PG undead action.

September 14, 2012 | Rating: 4/5

Tara Brady
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
There’s no meat on the bone of this skeleton. Witty and fast-paced, sure, but the film lacks substance.

September 13, 2012 | Rating: 3/5

Chris Blohm
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
The main plot – about combating a witch’s curse – is less fun than the gothic gags on the margins.

September 13, 2012 | Rating: 3/5

Nigel Andrews
Financial Times
TOP CRITIC
It’s an engaging entertainment, with a solidly constructed storyline.

September 13, 2012 | Rating: 3/5

Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
Tweens, rather than children, will savour its snarky bite, although like the shambling on-screen cadavers, the story needed a bit more meat on its bones.

September 13, 2012 | Rating: 3/5

Robbie Collin
Daily Telegraph (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Ghoulish? Yes. Funny? You bet.

September 11, 2012 | Rating: 4/5

Cath Clarke
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Imaginatively designed and sharply scripted.

October 15, 2021 | Rating: 3/4

Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
… holds up incredibly well nearly 10 years later, but Butler’s script as it uses the horror tropes we’ve come to know, flips them, chops them up, and gives us a frequently profound exploration of the destructive power of fear.

September 15, 2021

Douglas Davidson
Elements of Madness
Every child should see it.

January 24, 2021 | Rating: 4/4

Matthew Rozsa
matthewrozsa.com
Gorgeous animation enhances a touching story about death and learning to accept what you don’t understand.

December 30, 2020 | Rating: 4/5

Trace Thurman
Horror Queers Podcast
Jon Brion’s original score is a perfect companion for the film with a sublime mixture of melancholy and madness along the way.

September 19, 2020 | Rating: 3.0/4.0

Richard Propes
TheIndependentCritic.com
Scares blend with a strange gallows humor to create a fantastic movie that will get you as pumped up as it gets your kids.

July 11, 2020 | Rating: A

Brent McKnight
The Last Thing I See…

Plot
In the town of Blithe Hollow, Norman Babcock is a boy who can speak to the dead, but no one besides his eccentric new friend, Neil, believes his ability is real. One day, Norman’s estranged eccentric uncle tells him of an important annual ritual he must take up to protect the town from a curse cast by a witch it condemned centuries ago. Eventually, Norman decides to cooperate, but things don’t go according to plan. Now, a magic storm of the witch threatens Blithe Hollow as the accursed dead rise. Together with unexpected new companions, Norman struggles to save his town, only to discover the horrific truth of the curse. With that insight, Norman must resolve the crisis for good as only he can.

Trivia