Due to circumstances and a run-in with the school bully, Alvin, Norman fails to complete the ritual in time.
The protagonist, Norman Babcock, is a mild-mannered 11-year-old who can see and speak to the dead. This includes his deceased grandmother (who lives on the couch, unseen by others), the town’s ghosts, and the spirit of a pilgrim. This ability makes him a social outcast, bullied at school by Alvin and his friend, and misunderstood by his father (Perry) and fitness-obsessed mother (Sandra). Only his eccentric, junk-food-loving older sister, Courtney, shows reluctant care for him.
ParaNorman was the first stop-motion film to use a 3D color printer to create thousands of different facial expressions for the puppets.
To celebrate the film's 13th anniversary in 2025, several new "features" and events were released: New Animated Short : An all-new short film titled ParaNorman: The Thrifting
, a young girl who, like Norman, had the gift of speaking to the dead.
What makes the "full" experience of this movie so resonant isn't just the zombies or the paranormal activity; it’s the subversive writing. It takes the classic "monster movie" tropes and flips them on their head, asking the audience to consider the roots of fear and the consequences of bullying. It’s a film that teaches kids—and reminds adults—that "it’s okay to be different." The Art of Stop-Motion: Behind the Scenes
If you haven't watched it recently—or if you have somehow never seen it—here is why you need to experience the full film as soon as possible. ParaNorman (2012) - IMDb IMDb