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{{Infobox film
| name = ParaNorman
| image = ParaNorman poster.jpg
| alt = <!-- See WP:ALT -->
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = {{Plainlist|
* [[Sam Fell]]
* [[Chris Butler (filmmaker)|Chris Butler]]
}}
| producer = {{Plainlist|
* [[Arianne Sutner]]
* [[Travis Knight]]
}}
| writer = Chris Butler
| starring = {{Plainlist|<!-- This order is according to the film's end credits. -->
* [[Kodi Smit-McPhee]]
* [[Tucker Albrizzi]]
* [[Anna Kendrick]]
* [[Casey Affleck]]
* [[Christopher Mintz-Plasse]]
* [[Leslie Mann]]
* [[Jeff Garlin]]
* [[Elaine Stritch]]
* [[Bernard Hill]]
* [[Jodelle Ferland]]
* [[Tempestt Bledsoe]]
* [[Alex Borstein]]
* [[John Goodman]]
}}
| music = [[Jon Brion]]<ref name=collider1>{{cite news | first=Matt | last=Goldberg | url=https://collider.com/paranorman-jon-brion-scoring/ | title=Jon Brion to Score Laika's 3D Stop-Motion Animated Feature PARANORMAN | website=Collider.com | date=June 14, 2011 | access-date=June 15, 2011 | archive-date=June 18, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110618055324/http://collider.com/paranorman-jon-brion-scoring/96360/ | url-status=live }}</ref>
| cinematography = Tristan Oliver
| editing = Christopher Murrie
| studio = [[Laika, LLC|Laika]]
| distributor = [[Focus Features]] (North America)<br>[[Universal Pictures]] (International)
| released = {{Film date|2012|08|03|Mexico|2012|08|17|United States}}
| runtime = 93 minutes<!--Theatrical runtime: 92:36--><ref>{{cite web | url=https://bbfc.co.uk/releases/paranorman-film | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160828125748/http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/paranorman-film | url-status=dead | archive-date=August 28, 2016 | title=''ParaNorman'' (PG) | work=[[British Board of Film Classification]] | date=July 11, 2012 | access-date=August 27, 2016}}</ref>
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget = $60 million<ref name="Boxofficemojo1"/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3601&p=.htm | title=2012 Recap (cont.): Losers | website=Box Office Mojo | access-date=January 4, 2013}}</ref>
| gross = $107.1 million<ref name="Boxofficemojo1">{{cite web|title=ParaNorman|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=paranorman.htm|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|access-date=February 15, 2013}}</ref>
}}
'''''ParaNorman''''' is a 2012 American [[stop motion]] animated [[comedy horror|comedy horror film]] directed by [[Sam Fell]] and [[Chris Butler (filmmaker)|Chris Butler]], and written by Butler.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://allmovie.com/movie/paranorman-v551673|work=Allmovie|title=ParaNorman (2012)|access-date=August 30, 2012|author=Buchanan, Jason}}</ref> Produced by [[Laika, LLC|Laika]], the film stars the voices of [[Kodi Smit-McPhee]], [[Jodelle Ferland]], [[Bernard Hill]], [[Tucker Albrizzi]], [[Anna Kendrick]], [[Casey Affleck]], [[Christopher Mintz-Plasse]], [[Leslie Mann]], [[Jeff Garlin]], [[Elaine Stritch]],  [[Tempestt Bledsoe]], [[Alex Borstein]], and [[John Goodman]]. It is the first stop-motion film to use a 3-D color printer to create character faces. In the film, Norman Babcock, a young boy who can communicate with ghosts, is given the task of ending a 300-year-old witch's curse on his [[Massachusetts]] town.

The idea of ''ParaNorman'' came from Butler, who thought making such a movie for kids could help express the challenges kids face growing up, after realizing that zombie films often contained a degree of social commentary. Production of the [[Stop motion|stop-motion]] animation took place at Laika's studio in [[Hillsboro, Oregon]] for three years, with the animating stage of production lasting about two years and beginning in late [[2009 in film|2009]]. Instead of using traditional 3-D format cameras, the studio had sixty [[5D Mark II|Canon EOS 5D Mark II DSLR]] cameras film the movie. [[Jon Brion]] composed the film's musical score.

''ParaNorman'' was released on August 17, 2012, by [[Focus Features]]. It received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its animation and script,<ref name="RT" /> and was a modest box office success, earning $107 million against a budget of $60 million. The film was nominated for an [[Academy Award for Best Animated Feature|Academy Award]] and a [[BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film|BAFTA]] for Best Animated Film.

==Plot==
In the small town of Blithe Hollow, [[Massachusetts]], Norman Babcock is an 11-year-old outcast who [[Mediumship|speaks with the dead]], including his late grandmother and various ghosts in town. Almost no one believes him and he is isolated emotionally from his family while being looked down upon by his own peers around the school. Neil Downe, an overweight boy who is also bullied, finds in Norman a kindred spirit. After rehearsing a school play commemorating the town's execution of a witch three centuries ago, the boys are confronted by Norman's estranged and seemingly deranged great-uncle, Mr. Prenderghast, who tells Norman that he soon must take up his regular ritual to protect the town. Soon after this encounter, Mr. Prenderghast dies of a heart attack.

During the official performance of the school play, Norman has a nightmarish vision of the town's past in which he is pursued through the woods by townsfolk on a [[witch hunt]], embarrassing himself and leading to a heated argument with his paranoid father Perry, who later grounds him. His mother Sandra tells him that his father's manner is stern  because he is afraid for him. The next day, Norman sees Prenderghast's spirit who tells him that the ritual must be performed with a certain book before sundown that day; then making him "swear" to complete the task, Prenderghast's spirit is set free and crosses over. Norman is at first reluctant to go because he is scared but his grandmother tells him it is all right to be scared as long as he does not let it change who he is. Norman sets off to retrieve the book from Prenderghast's house (having to take it from his corpse).

He then goes to the graves of the five men and two women who were cursed by the witch, but finds that the book is merely a series of fairy tales. Alvin, a school bully who always picks on Norman, arrives and prevents Norman from reading the story before sundown. Norman attempts to continue reading from the book, to no effect. A ghostly storm resembling the witch appears in the air, summoning the cursed dead to arise as [[zombie]]s, who chase the boys along with Neil, Norman's 17-year-old sister Courtney, and Neil's older brother Mitch, down the hill and into town. Having realized that the witch was not buried in the graveyard, Norman contacts classmate Salma (who tells them to access the Town Hall's archives for the location of the witch's unmarked grave) for help. As the kids make their way to the Town Hall, the zombies are attacked by the citizenry. During the riot, Norman and his companions break into the archives but cannot find the information they need. As the mob moves to attack Town Hall, the witch storm appears over the crowd. Norman climbs the Hall's tower to read the book, in a last-ditch effort to finish the ritual, but the witch strikes the book with lightning, hurling Norman from the tower and deep into the archives.

Unconscious, Norman has a dream where he learns that the witch was Agatha "Aggie" Prenderghast, a little girl of his age and a distant relative, who was also a medium. Norman realizes that Aggie was wrongfully convicted by the town council when they mistook her powers for [[witchcraft]]. After awakening, Norman encounters the zombies and recognizes them as the town council who convicted Aggie. The zombies and their leader Judge Hopkins admit that they only wanted to speak with him to ensure that he would take up the ritual, to minimize the damage of the mistake they made so long ago. Norman attempts to help the zombies slip away so they can guide him to Aggie's grave, but is cornered by the mob. Courtney, Mitch, Neil, and Alvin rally to Norman's side and confront the crowd, arguing that their rage, fear, and misunderstanding make them no different from the cursed townsfolk from long ago. Although the mob realizes the error of their ways, the witch unleashes her powers to create greater havoc throughout the town.

Judge Hopkins guides Norman's family to the grave in a forest. Before the grave is reached, Aggie's magical powers separate Norman from the others. Norman finds the grave and interacts with Aggie's [[vengeful ghost]], determined to stop the cataclysmic tantrum she has been having over the years. Though she attempts to push him away, Norman holds his ground, telling her that he understands how she feels as an outcast, that her vengeance has only made her like the ones who wronged her, causing her to remember happier days. Having finally encountered someone who understands her plight and by remembering her caring mother, Aggie is able to find a measure of peace and cross over to the afterlife. The storm dissipates, and she, the zombies and even the Judge all fade away. The town cleans up and regards Norman as a hero.

In the end, Norman watches a horror film with his family and the ghost of his grandmother, who have grown to accept Norman for who he is.

==Voice cast==
{{castlist|
* [[Kodi Smit-McPhee]] as Norman Babcock, an 11-year-old<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Karger|first=Dave|title=Comic-Con 2012: 15 Hot Movies - ParaNorman|url=https://ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20610725_21183015,00.html|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=April 5, 2014|date=July 18, 2012|quote=Norman Babcock is an 11-year-old who is dubbed as ''"a freak"'' in his school because he can speak to the dead.|archive-date=April 7, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407072122/http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20610725_21183015,00.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> misfit who can speak to the dead.<ref name=collider1 /><ref name="Yahoo!">{{cite web | title=ParaNorman | url=https://movies.yahoo.com/feature/paranorman.html | work=Yahoo! | access-date=October 25, 2011}}</ref><ref name=THRReview />
* [[Tucker Albrizzi]] as Neil Downe, Norman's 12-year-old overweight best friend.<ref name=collider1 /><ref name="USAToday1" />
* [[Anna Kendrick]] as Courtney Babcock, Norman's 17-year-old sister and a cheerleader.<ref name="USAToday1" />
* [[Casey Affleck]] as Mitch Downe, Neil's 19-year-old brother and a [[Jock (stereotype)|jock]] who is the target of Courtney's affections. He later reveals that he has a [[gay men|boyfriend]].<ref name="USAToday1">{{cite news | last=Truitt | first=Brian | url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/livefrom/post/2011/07/paranorman-brings-together-an-outcast-kid-zombies-and-john-hughes/1 | title='ParaNorman' brings together an outcast kid, zombies and John Hughes | work=[[USA Today]] | date=July 24, 2011 | access-date=July 27, 2011}}</ref>
* [[Christopher Mintz-Plasse]] as Alvin, a 15-year-old school bully.<ref name="USAToday1" />
* [[Leslie Mann]] as Sandra Babcock (née Prenderghast), Courtney and Norman's sympathetic mother.<ref name="Yahoo!" />
* [[Jeff Garlin]] as Perry Babcock, Courtney and Norman's stern father who is concerned about his son's well-being.<ref name="Yahoo!" />
* [[Elaine Stritch]] as Grandma Babcock, the ghost of Courtney and Norman's deceased grandmother and Perry's mother.<ref name="Yahoo!" />
* [[Bernard Hill]] as Judge Hopkins, the deceased judge who accused and punished Aggie for witchcraft, and the leader of the cursed zombies.<ref name="Yahoo!" />
* [[Jodelle Ferland]] as Agatha "Aggie" Prenderghast, the ghost of an 11-year-old [[Puritan]] girl from the 1700s who was accused of witchcraft.<ref name=collider1 /><ref>{{cite web|title=Jodelle Ferland|url=http://focusfeatures.com/paranorman/castncrew?member=jodelle_ferland|publisher=Focus Features|access-date=July 24, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025064510/http://focusfeatures.com/paranorman/castncrew?member=jodelle_ferland|archive-date=October 25, 2012}}</ref>
* [[Tempestt Bledsoe]] as Sheriff Hooper, the [[sheriffs in the united states|sheriff]] of Blithe Hollow.<ref name="Yahoo!" />
* [[Alex Borstein]] as Mrs. Margot Henscher, Norman and Neil's drama teacher.
* [[John Goodman]] as Mr. Prenderghast, Sandra's uncle, Courtney and Norman's great uncle and the town's local eccentric.<ref name="USAToday1" />
* Hannah Noyes as Salma, a smart girl from Norman's class.<ref name="Yahoo!" />
* [[Ariel Winter]] as Blithe Hollow Kid<ref name="Yahoo!" />
* [[Bridget Hoffman]] as Crystal and [[Parachutist]] Ghost
* [[Scott Menville]] as Deputy Wayne, a deputy who works for Sheriff Hooper.
* David Cowgill as [[Greaser (subculture)|Greaser]] Ghost
* Wendy Hoffman as Gucci Lady
* [[Jeremy Shada]] as Pug
* Emily Hahn as Sweet Girl
* [[Jack Blessing]] as [[American Civil War|Civil War]] Ghost
}}
Blithe Hollow townspeople are voiced by [[Kirk Baily]], [[Cam Clarke]], Lara Cody, [[Eddie Frierson]], [[Rif Hutton]], [[Edie Mirman]] and David Zyler.

==Production==
[[File:ParaNorman, Norman's faces, 3D printer.jpg|thumb|''ParaNorman'' was the first film that used full-color 3-D printers for animation.]]

The idea of the film came from Chris Butler, who, realizing that zombie films often contained a degree of [[social commentary]], thought making such a movie for kids could help express the challenges kids face growing up.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lambie|first1=Ryan|title=Chris Butler and Sam Fell interview: on writing and directing ParaNorman|url=https://denofgeek.com/movies/paranorman/22607/chris-butler-and-sam-fell-interview-on-writing-and-directing-paranorman|website=Den of Geek|date=September 10, 2012|access-date=14 April 2017}}</ref>

Production of the stop-motion animation feature took place at Laika's studio in [[Hillsboro, Oregon]].<ref name="think big">{{cite news|last=Rogoway|first=Mike|title=Laika thinks big with 'ParaNorman,' the second feature from Phil Knight's film studio|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2012/08/laika_thinks_big_with_paranorm.html|access-date=August 16, 2012|newspaper=[[The Oregonian]]|date=August 11, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Giegerich|first=Andy|title=Laika chases big dreams|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/print-edition/2012/07/13/laika-chases-big-dreams.html?page=all|access-date=August 16, 2012|newspaper=Portland Business Journal|date=July 13, 2012}}</ref> The film was in production for three years, with the animating stage of production lasting about two years and beginning in late [[2009 in film|2009]]. Rather than using traditional 3-D format cameras, the studio had sixty [[5D Mark II|Canon EOS 5D Mark II DSLR]] cameras film the movie.<ref>{{cite news|title=Canon EOS 5D Mark II DSLR Cameras Help Capture the Summer Animated Feature "ParaNorman" in 3D|url=http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/about_canon?pageKeyCode=pressreldetail&docId=0901e0248061d43c|access-date=August 19, 2012|date=August 17, 2012}}</ref> Advertising agency [[Wieden+Kennedy]] created the campaign for the film.<ref name="think big"/> ''ParaNorman'' is the first ever stop motion film to use full-color [[3D Printer|3-D printers]] for replacement animation. Laika's previous film ''[[Coraline (film)|Coraline]]'' had pioneered and popularized the use of black and white 3-D printers, which sped up puppet production considerably and allowed the team to make the large number of puppet faces required for the film.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2012/08/17/how-3d-printing-changed-the-face-of-paranorman/|title=How 3D printing changed the face of 'ParaNorman'|author=Brian Heater|publisher=AOL|work=Engadget|date=August 17, 2012 }}</ref> "Quite often it's the stop-motion movies that are more out there," co-director Fell told ''[[The New York Times]]''. "They're a little quirkier, they're a little harder to pin down."<ref>{{cite news|last=Ryzik|first=Melena|title=Animation Basks in Oscar Spotlight|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/31/movies/awardsseason/animation-basks-in-oscar-spotlight.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=January 30, 2013|access-date=January 30, 2013}}</ref>

==Soundtrack==
{{Main|ParaNorman (soundtrack)}}
[[Jon Brion]] composed the film's score, and an accompanying soundtrack album was released on August 14, 2012.<ref name=PlaylistScore>{{cite news|last=Taylor|first=Drew|title=Soundtrack Details For Jon Brion's Score For Ghoulish Animated Film ''ParaNorman''|url=http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/jon-brion-to-release-soundtrack-for-ghoulish-animated-film-paranorman-20120724|access-date=October 31, 2012|newspaper=The Playlist|date=July 24, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130112030456/http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/jon-brion-to-release-soundtrack-for-ghoulish-animated-film-paranorman-20120724|archive-date=January 12, 2013|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Bits of other music appear in the film, including the theme music from ''[[Halloween (1978 film)|Halloween]]'', the [[Donovan]] song "[[Season of the Witch (song)|Season of the Witch]]" (sung by the school play cast) and "[[Fix Up, Look Sharp]]" by British rapper [[Dizzee Rascal]]. "Little Ghost", a [[White Stripes]] song from their 2005 album ''[[Get Behind Me Satan]]'', plays at the end, over character cards identifying the main cast. However, one track in the film, an updated version of "Aggie Fights", was not included in the soundtrack.

==Release==
===Home media===
''ParaNorman'' was released on [[DVD]] and [[Blu-ray]] on November 27, 2012, by [[Universal Pictures Home Entertainment]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Paranorman Blu-ray and DVD|url=http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/ParaNorman-Blu-ray/54055/|date=September 3, 2012}}</ref> A new edition from [[Shout! Factory]] under license from Laika was released on Blu-ray on September 14, 2021, and later on [[Ultra HD Blu-ray]] on December 13, 2022.

==Other media==
===Video game===
A video game called ''ParaNorman: 2-Bit Bub'' was made for [[iOS]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Mobile Movie Marketing Gets Weird: Behind ParaNorman's Richly Detailed iOS Game, "2-Bit Bub" |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/1681294/mobile-movie-marketing-gets-weird-behind-paranormans-richly-detailed-ios-game-2-bit-bub |website=Fast Company |access-date=14 June 2025 |date=2012-07-25}}</ref>

===Short film - ''ParaNorman: The Thrifting''===
{{Infobox film
| name = ParaNorman: The Thrifting
| image =
| alt = 
| caption =
| director = Thibault LeClercq
| producer = Peter McCown
| writer = [[Chris Butler (filmmaker)|Chris Butler]]
| starring = {{Plainlist|
* Brayden Gleave
* Beckett Maillard 
* [[Anna Kendrick]]
* [[Finn Wolfhard]]
* Kaden Stoneking 
* Amanda Sykes
}}
| based_on =
| music = Kevin Lax<br>Robert Lydecker
| cinematography = 
| editing = 
| studio = [[Laika, LLC|Laika]]<br>[[Passion Pictures]]
| distributor = [[Fathom Entertainment]]
| released = {{Film date|fy=no|2025|10|25}}
| runtime = 7 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget =
| gross =
}} 
'''''ParaNorman: The Thrifting''''' is an computer animated [[horror comedy]] short film directed by Laika's principal character designer Thibault LeClercq (who designed Mitch's boyfriend Luca in June 2025 after the film's release)<ref>https://comicbook.com/movies/news/paranorman-mitch-boyfriend-luca/</ref>, produced by Peter McCown and written by film director [[Chris Butler (filmmaker)|Chris Butler]] who executive produced the short with producer and CEO [[Travis Knight]], based on the characters from the film by Butler and [[Sam Fell]]. 

The short brings back [[Anna Kendrick]], who voiced Courtney in the film, along with new actors such as [[Finn Wolfhard]] while Brayden Gleave and Beckett Maillard voices Norman and Neil than the original actors. Produced from [[Laika, LLC|Laika]] in association with [[Passion Pictures]], the short was released in promotion to the re-release of the main film on October 2025.<ref name="announced">{{cite web | title=LAIKA's 'ParaNorman' Returns to Theaters for Halloween in Remastered RealD 3D with New Short Film | date=June 13, 2025 | url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/2025/06/laikas-paranorman-returns-to-theaters-for-halloween-in-remastered-reald-3d-with-new-short-film/ }}</ref>

====Plot====
The short opens up with Norman and Courtney walking to Ye Olde Grimporium to find a Halloween costume this year. While Courtney flirts with a moody shop clerk, Chad, Norman starts searching for a costume before bumping into his friend Neil. Finding a strange mask, the lights went out as a supernatural entity chases them around the shop. However, it turns out the entity is only a spiritual ghost kid named Edward who wants his mask back from Norman. Fighting over the mask, Edward's mother, who's also a spiritual ghost, interrupts this and takes Edward away while grounding him. The store is restored but Norman decides he doesn't want a costume. Chad kicks the boys and Courtney out and locks the store for tonight. As they leave, Norman takes one last look at Edward above before leaving while Courtney calls Mitch about Chad.

====Cast====
* Brayden Gleave as Norman Babcock
* Beckett Maillard as Neil Downe
* [[Anna Kendrick]] as Courtney Babcock
* [[Finn Wolfhard]] as Chad
* Kaden Stoneking as Edward
* Amanda Sykes as Edward's mother

====Production====
In June 2025, [[Laika, LLC|Laika]] announced at the Annecy of a re-release of their film ''ParaNorman'' with company [[Fathom Entertainment]] along with a CGI-animated short follow-up by as part of their 20th anniversary of the studio. [[Anna Kendrick]] reprise her role while [[Finn Wolfhard]] was casted as Chad while newcomers, Brayden Gleave and Beckett Maillard, replaces [[Kodi Smit-McPhee]] and [[Tucker Albrizzi]] as Norman and Neil. On October 9, the trailer was posted from Laika's Youtube channel with a first look at the short being more stylized like the credits of the original film.<ref> https://ew.com/paranorman-the-thrifting-trailer-finn-wolfhard-anna-kendrick-exclusive-11826954?utm_source=instagram.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=entertainmentweekly&utm_content=igstory</ref>

Unlike the original film which was produced in stop-motion, the animation was made by [[Passion Pictures]] in [[Paris]], [[France]] while assets and production design comes from Laika Studios.<ref name="announced"/><ref>https://www.passion-animation.com/project/paranorman-the-thrifting/</ref> Composers Kevin Lax and Robert Lydecker, who previously worked with producer Peter McCown on [[DreamWorks Animation]]'s [[Netflix]] film ''[[Orion and the Dark]]'', were attach to score the short film than [[Jon Brion]].

====Release====
The short was released on October 25, 2025 as part of the re-release anniversary of the original film in 2012.<ref name="announced"/>

====Accolades====
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! Award 
! Category 
! Recipients 
! Result
|-
| rowspan=2|[[Annie Awards]]<ref>https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/2026-annie-awards-nominations-nominees-list-1236464119/</ref><ref>https://www.animationmagazine.net/2026/01/annie-award-nominations-elio-kpop-demon-hunters-lead-the-race-win-or-lose-tops-tv-nods/</ref>
| Best Production Design – TV/Media
| Thibault Leclercq, Santiago Montiel, Jung Woonyoung, Stephanie Bray-Lee
| {{nom}}
|-
| Best Storyboarding – TV/Media
| Coleton Palmer, Katherine Jay Myong, Heewon Jeong
| {{nom}}
|-
|}

==Reception==

===Critical response===
[[Review aggregator]] website [[Rotten Tomatoes]] gives ''ParaNorman'' an approval rating of 89% based on 189 reviews, and an average score of 7.3/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Beautifully animated and solidly scripted, ''ParaNorman'' will entertain (and frighten) older children while providing surprisingly thoughtful fare for their parents."<ref name="RT" >{{cite web|title=ParaNorman (2012)|url=https://rottentomatoes.com/m/paranorman/|publisher=[[Fandango Media]]|work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|access-date=October 25, 2025}}</ref> [[Metacritic]] gives the film a [[weighted average]] score of 72 out of 100 based on 33 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable" reviews.<ref>{{cite web|title=ParaNorman Reviews|url=https://metacritic.com/movie/paranorman|publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]|work=[[Metacritic]]|access-date=March 5, 2018}}</ref> Audiences surveyed by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |title=Cinemascore :: Movie Title Search |access-date=January 15, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |archive-date=December 20, 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Justin Chang of ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' wrote in his review, "Few movies so taken with death have felt so rudely alive as ''ParaNorman'', the latest handcrafted marvel from the stop-motion artists at Laika."<ref>{{cite news|last=Chang|first=Justin|title=ParaNorman|url=https://variety.com/review/VE1117947990|access-date=August 20, 2012|newspaper=Variety|date=August 2, 2012}}</ref> Michael Rechtshaffen of ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'' said, "It has its entertaining moments, but this paranormal stop-motion animated comedy-chiller cries out for more activity."<ref name=THRReview>{{cite news|last=Rechtshaffen|first=Michael|title=ParaNorman: Film Review|url=https://hollywoodreporter.com/movie/paranorman/review/355849|access-date=November 25, 2012|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter|date=August 2, 2012}}</ref>

===Box office===
''ParaNorman'' earned $56 million in North America, and $51.1 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $107.1 million.<ref name="Boxofficemojo1" /> The film premiered in [[Mexico]] on August 3, 2012, opening in second place with box office receipts of $2.2 million, behind ''[[The Dark Knight Rises]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mexico Box Office, August 3–5, 2012|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/intl/mexico/?yr=2012&wk=31&p=.htm|website=Box Office Mojo|access-date=August 26, 2012}}</ref> For its opening weekend in North America, the film placed third, with receipts of $14 million, behind ''[[The Expendables 2]]'' and ''[[The Bourne Legacy (film)|The Bourne Legacy]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Subers|first=Ray|title=Weekend Report: 'Expendables 2' Commandeers Top Spot, Misses Predecessor's Mark|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3504&p=.htm|access-date=August 20, 2012|newspaper=Box Office Mojo|date=August 19, 2012}}</ref> [[Travis Knight (animator)|Travis Knight]], head of the studio that produced the film, believed the box office total was fine, but did not live up to his expectations.<ref name="Knight">{{cite web | url=https://collider.com/travis-knight-paranorman-laika-interview/ | title=Travis Knight (President & CEO of LAIKA) Talks PARANORMAN, Audience Reactions to the Film, Laika's Future Plans, and More at the VES Awards | date=February 13, 2013 | publisher=Collider | access-date=February 18, 2013}}</ref>

===Gay character===
The film has drawn attention for the revelation in its final scenes that supporting character Mitch is gay, making him the first openly gay character in a mainstream animated film.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Anderson-Minshall |first1=Diane |title=Why ParaNorman Featured the First Gay Character in an Animated Film |url=https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/dvds/2012/11/29/why-paranorman-featured-first-gay-character-animated-film |website=Advocate |date=November 29, 2012 |access-date=19 October 2020}}</ref> Nancy French of ''[[National Review]] Online'' suggested that the film could lead parents "to answer unwanted questions about [[Sexual intercourse|sex]] and [[homosexuality]] on the way home from the movie theater."<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.nationalreview.com/home-front/314665/iparanormani-has-gay-sub-plot/nancy-french | title=''ParaNorman'' Has Gay Sub-Plot | first= nancy | last= French | work=[[National Review]] | date =August 22, 2012}}</ref> Conversely, Mike Ryan of ''[[The Huffington Post]]'' cited Mitch's inclusion as one of the reasons why ''ParaNorman'' is "remarkable".<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ryan/paranorman-the-movie-you-should-see_b_1773721.html | title='ParaNorman': The Movie You May Not Be Planning To See, Though You Should | first=Mike |last= Ryan | work= [[The Huffington Post]] | date=August 13, 2012}}</ref> Co-director Chris Butler said that the character was explicitly connected with the film's message: "If we're saying to anyone that watches this movie don't judge other people, then we've got to have the strength of our convictions."<ref>{{cite web|title=The Film Strip: ''ParaNorman'' Says You Can be Weird but Bullying is Not Ok.|url=http://www.eurweb.com/2012/08/the-film-strip-paranorman-says-you-can-be-weird-but-bullying-is-not-ok/|publisher=Eurweb.com|access-date=January 7, 2013|archive-date=August 11, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170811185400/http://www.eurweb.com/2012/08/the-film-strip-paranorman-says-you-can-be-weird-but-bullying-is-not-ok/|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2013, ''ParaNorman'' was the first-ever PG-rated movie nominated by [[GLAAD]] in its annual [[GLAAD Media Award]]s, but lost to ''[[The Perks of Being a Wallflower (film)|The Perks of Being a Wallflower]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/movies/s/paranorman-named-first-ever-pg-rated-nominee-glaad-193731709.html|title='ParaNorman' Named First Ever PG-Rated Nominee for GLAAD Media Awards|date=January 16, 2013}}</ref>

===Accolades===
{{More citations needed|date=December 2015}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+List of awards and nominations
! Award 
! Category 
! Recipients 
! Result
|-
| [[Academy Awards]]
| [[Academy Award for Best Animated Feature|Best Animated Feature]]
| Sam Fell, Chris Butler
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan=1|[[Alliance of Women Film Journalists]]
| Best Animated Film
|
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan=9|[[Annie Awards]]<ref>{{cite news|title=Annie Award Nominations Unveiled|url=https://deadline.com/2012/12/2012-annie-award-nominations-381176/|access-date=December 3, 2012|newspaper=Deadline|date=December 3, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Beck|first=Jerry|title=Annie Award Winners|url=http://www.cartoonbrew.com/events/annie-award-winners-77380.html|access-date=February 3, 2013|newspaper=[[Cartoon Brew]]|date=February 2, 2013}}</ref>
| Best Animated Feature
|
| {{nom}}
|-
| Directing in an Animated Feature Production
| Sam Fell, Chris Butler
| {{nom}}
|-
| Animated Effects in an Animated Production
| Andrew Nawrot, Joe Gorski, Grant Lake
| {{nom}}
|-
| Character Animation in a Feature Production
| Travis Knight
| {{won}}
|-
| Character Design in an Animated Feature Production
| Heidi Smith
| {{won}}
|-
| Production Design in an Animated Feature Production
| Nelson Lowry, Ross Stewart, Pete Oswald, Ean McNamara, Trevor Dalmer
| {{nom}}
|-
| Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production
| Emmanuela Cozzi
| {{nom}}
|-
| Writing in an Animated Feature Production
| Chris Butler
| {{nom}}
|-
| Foley Mixing in an Animated Feature Production
| Richard Duarte
| {{won}}
|-
| [[British Academy Film Awards|BAFTA Awards]]<ref name="BAFTA">{{cite news|last=Labrecque|first=Jeff|title='Lincoln' leads BAFTA race with 10 nominations|url=http://insidemovies.ew.com/2013/01/09/lincoln-bafta-nominations/|access-date=January 9, 2013|newspaper=Deadline|date=January 9, 2013}}</ref>
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film|Best Animated Film]]
|
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Chicago Film Critics Association]]
| Best Animated Feature
|
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Critics Choice Awards]]<ref>{{cite news|last=Hammond|first=Pete|title='Lincoln', 'Les Miserables', 'Silver Linings' Top List Of Nominees For 18th Annual Critics Choice Movie Awards|url=https://deadline.com/2012/12/critics-choice-movie-awards-2012-nominations-lincoln-386446/|access-date=December 11, 2012|newspaper=Deadline|date=December 11, 2012}}</ref>
| Best Animated Feature
|
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association]]
| Best Animated Film
|
| {{won}}
|-
| Denver Film Critics Society
| Best Animated Feature
|
| {{won}}
|-
| [[GLAAD Media Awards]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.glaad.org/blog/and-nominees-are-glaadawards|title = And the Nominees are... #glaadawards| work=GLAAD |date = January 15, 2013}}</ref>
| Outstanding Film - Wide Release
|
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Houston Film Critics Society]]
| Best Animated Film
|
| {{nom}}
|-
| Indiana Film Critics Association
| Best Animated Feature
|
| {{nom}}
|-
| Las Vegas Film Critics Society
| Best Animated Film
|
| {{won}}
|-
| [[2012 New York Film Critics Circle Awards|New York Film Critics Circle Awards]]
| Best Animated Feature
|
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan=1|[[Online Film Critics Society]]<ref>{{cite news|title=2012 Awards (16th Annual)|url=http://www.ofcs.org/awards/2012-awards-16th-annual/|access-date=December 30, 2012|date=December 2012}}</ref>
| Best Animated Feature
|
| {{won}}
|-
| Phoenix Film Critics Society
| Best Animated Film
|
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Producers Guild of America]]
| Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures
| Travis Knight, Arianne Sutner
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[San Diego Film Critics Society]]
| Best Animated Film
|
| {{won}}
|-
| [[San Francisco Film Critics Circle]]
| Best Animated Feature
|
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Satellite Awards]]<ref>{{cite news|last=Kilday|first=Gregg|title=Satellite Awards Nominates 10 Films for Best Motion Picture|url=https://hollywoodreporter.com/race/satellite-awards-nominates-10-films-396865|access-date=December 4, 2012|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter|date=December 3, 2012}}</ref>
| [[Satellite Award for Best Animated or Mixed Media Feature|Motion Picture, Animated or Mixed Media]]
|
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[39th Saturn Awards|Saturn Awards]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2013/02/20/the-hobbit-saturn-awards-movie-tv-nominations/1933067/|title='The Hobbit' leads Saturn Awards with nine nomination | work=USA Today | first1=Brian|last1=Truitt|date=February 20, 2013}}</ref>
| [[Saturn Award for Best Animated Film|Best Animated Film]]
| Sam Fell and Chris Butler
| {{nom}}
|-
| Southeastern Film Critics Association
| Best Animated Film
|
| {{won}}
|-
| [[St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association]]
| Best Animated Film
|
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Toronto Film Critics Association Awards]]
| Best Animated Feature
|
| {{won}}
|-
| Utah Film Critics Association
| Best Animated Feature
|
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan=5|[[Visual Effects Society]]<ref>{{cite news|title=Nominations for the 11th Annual VES Awards|url=https://comingsoon.net/news/gamenews.php?id=98578|access-date=January 7, 2013|newspaper=ComingSoon.net|date=January 7, 2013|archive-date=January 13, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130113090012/http://www.comingsoon.net/news/gamenews.php?id=98578|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=VES Awards: 'Life Of Pi' Wins 4 Including Feature, 'Brave', 'Game Of Thrones' Other Big Winners|url=https://deadline.com/2013/02/visual-effects-society-awards-2013-winners-list-422307/|access-date=February 7, 2013|newspaper=Deadline|date=February 5, 2013}}</ref>
| Outstanding Animation in an Animated Feature Motion Picture
| Chris Butler, Sam Fell, Travis Knight, Brad Schiff
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan=2|Outstanding Created Environment in an Animated Feature Motion Picture
| Graveyard: Phil Brotherton, Robert Desue, Oliver Jones, Nick Mariana
| {{nom}}
|-
| Main Street: Alice Bird, Matt Delue, Caitlin Pashalek
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan=2|Outstanding FX and Simulation Animation in an Animated Feature Motion Picture
| Practical Volumetrics: Aidan Fraser, Joe Gorski, Eric Kuehne, Andrew Nawrot
| {{nom}}
|-
| Angry Aggie Ink-Blot Electricity: Michael Cordova, Grant Laker, Susanna Luck, Peter Vickery
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Washington D. C. Area Film Critics Association]]
| Best Animated Feature
|
| {{won}}
|}

==Future==
===Proposed television series===
In 2017, animator Ila Solomon posted test footage for a ''ParaNorman'' television spin-off. The series would have used practical sets, but all the characters would have been rendered in CGI made to look like stop-motion. Not much information was given, but it was apparent that the show did not get picked up.<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOBFbKKTuQc|title=(Cancelled) ParaNorman TV Series Animation Supercut [READ DESCRIPTION!]|website=YouTube|publisher=Rare LAIKA Reuploads|date=August 14, 2024|access-date=August 14, 2024}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of ghost films]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}

* {{Official website|http://www.paranorman.com}}
* {{IMDb title|1623288}}
* {{Mojo title|paranorman}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|paranorman}}
* [http://www.universalstudiosentertainment.com/paranorman ''ParaNorman'' DVD & Blu-ray] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150315054931/http://www.universalstudiosentertainment.com/paranorman|date=March 15, 2015}} at [[Universal Studios Home Entertainment]]
* [http://readparanorman.com Official novel website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190904182955/http://www.readparanorman.com|date=September 4, 2019}}

{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for ''ParaNorman''
|list1 =
{{Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Animated Film}}
{{Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Animated Film}}
{{Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Animated Film}}
{{San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Animated Film}}
{{San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle Award for Best Animated Feature}}
{{TFCA Award for Best Animated Film}}
{{Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Animated Feature}}}}
{{Sam Fell}}
{{Laika (company)}}
{{Universal theatrical animated features}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Paranorman}}
[[Category:2012 American animated films]]
[[Category:2012 comedy horror films]]
[[Category:2010s ghost films]]
[[Category:2012 3D films]]
[[Category:2012 films]]
[[Category:American 3D films]]
[[Category:American animated horror films]]
[[Category:American ghost films]]
[[Category:American zombie comedy films]]
[[Category:Animated films about children]]
[[Category:Claymation films]]
[[Category:Children's horror films]]
[[Category:Films about psychic powers]]
[[Category:Animated films about witchcraft]]
[[Category:Films directed by Chris Butler]]
[[Category:Films directed by Sam Fell]]
[[Category:Films produced by Arianne Sutner]]
[[Category:Films produced by Travis Knight]]
[[Category:Films scored by Jon Brion]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Chris Butler]]
[[Category:Animated films set in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Films set in the 1710s]]
[[Category:Films shot in Oregon]]
[[Category:Focus Features animated films]]
[[Category:Focus Features films]]
[[Category:Universal Pictures animated films]]
[[Category:Universal Pictures films]]
[[Category:Laika (company) animated films]]
[[Category:Middle school films]]
[[Category:2010s stop-motion animated films]]
[[Category:3D animated films]]
[[Category:American animated films about revenge]]
[[Category:American supernatural horror films]]
[[Category:2012 directorial debut films]]
[[Category:American animated feature films]]
[[Category:2012 English-language films]]
[[Category:Animated films set in schools]]
[[Category:Animated films set in the 18th century]]
[[Category:English-language comedy horror films]]
[[Category:Suburban gothic]]
[[Category:Animated films about zombies]]
[[Category:2012 children's films]]

{{Wikipedia attribution|original_title=ParaNorman|access_date=2026-03-05}}